<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Past Is Only The Future With The Lights On by butimbroken, Scribes1015</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24665500">The Past Is Only The Future With The Lights On</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/butimbroken/pseuds/butimbroken'>butimbroken</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribes1015/pseuds/Scribes1015'>Scribes1015</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:07:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>43,886</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24665500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/butimbroken/pseuds/butimbroken, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribes1015/pseuds/Scribes1015</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Growing up as bestfriends was easy, realizing as adults you both now have feelings for one another? Not so much.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Angel/Buffy Summers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>CHAPTER 1: </b>
</p><p>Smacking her lips, she perfected her gloss in the mirror, making sure to give herself a once over before turning away. She had spent a good portion of her last paycheck on this new swimsuit, and she planned to put it to work. Lindsey would never allow her to strut around in a bikini, but not only was she nineteen now, the little strappy number she was wearing still counted as a one piece… barely. </p><p>Lindsey was decent enough as far as brothers go, but sometimes he overstepped his bounds a bit, acting more like her father than anything else, or trying to at least. Not that she could really blame him, she had been so young when their Dad passed away she barely remembered him at all. Growing up it had always been her and the boys, Lindsey, Gunn, Wes, and Angel. </p><p>Gunn and Wes took a gap year after highschool, so they still had another year to go before they could graduate. They'd managed to convince their parents that they were backpacking across Northern Europe to "Immerse themselves in the lives of the indigenous…" when in reality she was almost positive it was more of slow moving pub crawl. Wes had been born over there somewhere, so he had some relatives that they had bounced between. Neither of them had been back much since they left, though they were going to school on the east coast which didn't exactly make for an easy commute. </p><p>Lindsey and Angel had followed in her father's footsteps, he'd been one of the most well known attorneys this side of the rockies. Angel's home life had always been less than stellar so for the most part he'd basically become the third Summer's child, she couldn't remember a single holiday he hadn't been there, well apart from the last few years. They'd both gotten accepted to some university up north, they hadn't been as far away as Wes and Gunn but college had kept them busy enough that it made visiting difficult. </p><p>Especially Angel, while Lindsey had made sure to come home for all the big holidays and for at least a couple weeks each summer, Angel hadn't been back in over two years. Most everyone lumped the three of them together, always referring to them as siblings and every single time it made her stomach churn. It wasn't that she didn't like Angel, it was quite the opposite actually. She'd been in love with that boy for nearly as long as she could remember, even as kids he was always the one she turned to. He was the only one out of the four that she could really trust. </p><p>The last time he was here, she'd snuck off to an end of summer bash with Riley. She'd had to call him to come rescue her when Riley had gotten a little too handsey. She thought calling Angel had been a good idea, she figured he would come pick her up without making a giant fuss like her brother… boy had she been wrong. He'd shown up alright, he'd shown up and damn near gotten arrested for breaking Riley's nose, the only thing that had saved him that night was her last name. </p><p>She'd never seen that side of him before, Lindsey was usually the hot headed one, she'd been a little nervous to get in the car and leave with him, but she was glad she did. That night turned out to be one of the best nights of her entire life. There was no way she could go home, her mom and Lindsey thought she was staying the night at Willow’s, showing up in the middle of the night clearly intoxicated would have surely gotten her grounded for months. Luckily Angel's parents were gone for the night, probably inhabiting some bar or another, so he'd taken her back with him. </p><p>She'd been a mess, drunk and crying, completely humiliated, and totally expecting him to tear into her once they got back to the house, but he hadn't. Instead he'd crawled into bed beside her and pulled her up against his chest. He'd whispered how much better she was than that army brat, and repeatedly told her how glad he was that she'd called him. He hadn't even been angry that he'd nearly gotten arrested, which probably would have cost him his scholarship, all he seemed to be worried about was making sure she was okay. </p><p>Eventually he'd managed to get her calmed down by telling her stories of night's where he and the boys had narrowly escaped the wrath of her mother, many times barely managing to sneak back into the house before sunrise. They were laughing about something, and she honestly wasn't even sure how it had happened but suddenly everything around them seemed to dim as their eyes connected. She was sure it had only been a few seconds, but even thinking back on it those seconds seemed to stretch on endlessly. </p><p>Angel had finally managed to snap himself out of whatever trance they'd fallen under, he tried to pull back but her hands had already found their way around him. Knowing she didn't have time to second guess anything, she'd pulled him back to her, boldly brushing her lips against his own. He stilled, and she'd braced herself for him to pull away or throw her off him, what she hadn't expected was the way he seemed to melt into her, the way he took control deepening the kiss, sliding his tongue between her lips as she gasped in surprise. </p><p>That night had haunted her dreams ever since, again in hindsight that kiss seemed like it went on forever, but in reality it had only been a few moments before Angel pulled away freaking. He'd mumbled something or another as he stumbled from the room and much to her disappointment slept on the couch the rest of the night. The next morning was pretty cute, he'd come up with some long drawn out apology that ended with him visibly wincing as he claimed she was like a sister to him, but she knew better. She may have only been Seventeen, but even she knew you didn't kiss girls you called a sister like that. </p><p>Unfortunately for her, him and Lindsey had to head back to campus the next day. She thought she was only saying goodbye to him for a few months, he'd always come back for Thanksgiving but supposedly something had come up and he couldn't make it back. Then Christmas, Spring Break, and Summer all came and went without a single visit. She tried not to take it too personally, she knew they were busy, especially with the way they had to keep their grades up if they wanted to be accepted into Law School, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but correlate his absence to what happened that night. </p><p>It didn't matter though, not anymore. Lindsey and Angel had both graduated this week, and in lieu of attending their graduation ceremony they were both coming back here for one huge celebration, followed by a summer of relaxation before they headed to law school in the fall. One thing was for certain, a lot had changed in the last two years, she was no longer some little swoony girl, and she was long passed allowing her brother to stand in the way of what she wanted. </p><p>OoOoO</p><p>"Would you stop acting so damn nervous?" Lindsey muttered, pulling Angel's attention to him from the window. "You're rubbing the fuck off on me. It's just Sunnydale. We get to go see old friends and celebrate and be lazy bums for awhile. It's not the end of the world, Angel."</p><p>Angel's hand linked together, popping his knuckles out of habit as he looked back toward the outside world. "Yeah, well... I haven't been home in, like, two years either. I haven't seen my parents and I could probably count on one hand how many times I've even heard from either one of them."</p><p>"Well, no one said you had to see them now either. I'm sure Mom already has a damn room set up for you just waiting, like she has at every holiday, or at every break, when you didn't even show the hell up."</p><p>"Yeah, well, I haven't seen your mom either... other than that one weekend she stopped in for a couple hours between flights for work."</p><p>"No one's fault but your own," Lindsey reminded him. He'd never understood why Angel suddenly stopped wanting to come back with him when they got the chance but had eventually just dropped it. He'd ask then shrug his shoulders and move on. But this summer wasn't going to pass without him dragging him back, even if that meant pulling his ass kicking and screaming. It'd taken a lot of time and effort but finally Angel had reluctantly agreed. "But it hardly matters now, you know she loves your stupid ass no matter what and she will be happy to see you... almost as much as me," he said with a quick smile. "Bound to be a number of people either one of us haven't seen in a long while now, but it'll be fine. It's supposed to be fun... remember."</p><p>Angel sighed. He knew seeing or not seeing his parents didn't really matter, that Joyce would tease him about his absences, guilt trip him about them as well more than likely, but it would be like it always had when it came to his little spot in their family. He knew he'd be happy to see Wes and Gunn again as it'd been awhile, and then some of the other kids he'd known probably coming home for summer as well or those younger than him he'd not seen but had been friends with when growing up. But none of them were really the issue. </p><p>No, all the anxiety inside of him pointed in the same direction, toward her. Buffy. Lindsey's little sister who wasn't so little these days. Who was supposed to be viewed as basically his little sister as well... but those lines had gotten quite crossed the last time he was here. </p><p>In his head he was sure he was being over dramatic about the whole situation, hell, he'd only kissed her the one damn time, but it wasn't as though that little act made the sky fall or anything. He doubted she'd long since cared about it, maybe didn't even remember for all he knew, but two fucking years later and he could still remember how his heart seemed to want to pound out of his chest when she looked at him, how she had tasted, the warmth of her skin, how perfectly she seemed to fit against him... It wasn't right. </p><p>He wasn't even sure how they had even gotten there. All he knew was he was filled with rage after learning about that fucking Finn kid all on her and somewhere along the ride home he really began to notice she wasn't exactly stuck in time as he always kind of imagined her, she wasn't still seven years old riding her bike up and down the road in messy pigtails with the lot of the local boys who'd somehow joined together as best friends. Really allowing himself to look at her, who she was in that moment, stirred something inside of him he was so far from ready for. </p><p>He had never really seen Buffy as anything more than a friend, as Lindsey's sister and basically his as well, though everyone knew she'd always rather had a crush on him. He'd never given it much thought, it was more just something that was brought up to tease at least one of them every now and then. But something had shifted, for at least him, that night. </p><p>He'd never mentioned that night to Lindsey, not with what happened with Riley Finn nor himself, and given he still had his head firmly attached to his shoulders he was sure she'd never peeped a word about it either. Thankfully. He knew how much damage he could have caused, and that is exactly why he'd avoided her ever since that night. This had been the only real family he'd ever known and he didn't need to go ruining it over a sudden burst of fucking hormones, to lose his friends, taint memories of basically his whole life and ruin future ones in the process. </p><p>Again, he knew that was probably quite far fetched but it still made him want to fly into a panicked state when he let his mind wander. And then he'd avoided coming home, having to face her, afraid that those feelings would still be there or whatever the case may be... but all he could do right now was hope he had just built her and what did happen that night all up too much in his head and when he saw her everything would just be back to normal, as it was supposed to be. </p><p>OoOoO</p><p>Pulling into the drive, Lindsey smiled brightly, rushing out of the car to greet his mom who had just been walking out to her own vehicle. Lindsey helped load up the car with everything she'd been carrying in her hands before giving her a giant hug as Angel slowly got out of the other side and came around. Joyce's eyes teared up as she looked at the two young men, squeezing Lindsey once more before rushing toward Angel and giving him some love as well. </p><p>"I forgot if we were supposed to come here first or what,"Lindsey said with a shrug after Joyce whispered how much she'd missed her unbiological son and made sure he was okay. </p><p>"Well, I guess it didn't matter either way," Joyce answered. "If you want you could get cleaned up you can, you can go ahead and change into some swimming gear here if you want, unload the car whenever you feel up to it and all of that. Both of your rooms are ready in there. I just had to come back and get some items Xander and Jesse obviously forgot."</p><p>"Jesse's back?"</p><p>Joyce nodded. "He came rolling back into town just last night actually. I don't believe he's spending the whole summer back with us, though, just swinging through for a little while before meeting up with some friends I think is what he said."</p><p>"Eh, well, it'll still be nice to see him," Lindsey told her, giving another quick hug. "I think I'm going to take a quick shower before we head over." </p><p>Joyce smiled as she climbed back into the suv, "I'll let everyone know the two of you should be there shortly. I know your sister has been counting down the days till the two of you came home." </p><p>"She doin' alright," Lindsey asked, bracing himself against the top of the car. He knew most people thought she was the town princess, and hell she kind of was, but that girl had a stubborn streak a mile long, one that had gotten her in trouble on more than one occasion. </p><p>Joyce nodded again, her eyes drifting to Angel's for a second before returning to her sons. "She's fine, you boys worry too much about her. She's a good girl, with a good head on her shoulders. <em> Not </em> that she tells me anything, but I'm pretty sure her and that Finn kid are seeing each other… you remember him don't you honey?" </p><p>"What the hell do you mean seeing each other," Lindsey drawled. Ya, he remembered the dweeb, he'd threatened to kick his ass many times for hitting on his baby sister. He knew she had to grow up, but over his dead body would she end up with a fucking loser like that. </p><p>Joyce waved him off, "She's not a little girl anymore Linds. I think she's old enough to handle being in a relationship, and you are old enough to bite your tongue." She stressed, patting his cheek, "Now don't go off embarrassing her on your first night back." </p><p>Angel felt his blood boil the instant he heard that punk's name but somehow he managed to bite his tongue, surely Joyce was mistaken. There was no way Buffy would be involved with that creep, not after that little stunt he'd pulled. No. He was garbage, he was beneath her in every way, she deserved more, so much more than some little dirtbag who didn't understand the meaning of <em> 'No'.  </em></p><p>His jaw squeezed tight as he followed Lindsey into the old familiar house from their childhood. It was strange how little had changed, the same old shoe rack sat inside the door, the same pictures lined the stairs, it even smelled the same, it was surreal being here after so long. He didn't even feel like the same person from two years ago, so much had changed in his life since then. Still, he had to admit it was nice being back around familiar surroundings. </p><p>"Looks like you and little sis are going to be Jack and Jilling it." </p><p>Angel's eyes widened, "Huh?" There was no way he'd zoned out that much, but he honestly had no idea what the fuck he was talking. </p><p>Lindsey chuckled, "Dude, would you relax, geeze. Remember I told you, Buffy switched our rooms a while back because mine was bigger."</p><p>Grabbing one of the bags from the bed, he groaned as he made his way to the bathroom situated between the room they were standing in and Buffy's. "At least with you here and me downstairs we won't have to worry about her sneaking that damn Finn character over."</p><p>Angel swallowed, it was one thing to know they were all going to be under the same roof again. It was another thing entirely to have a private damn entrance to her fucking bedroom. Not to mention the fact that if Riley was around, he was bound to pop off and say something stupid. Hopefully Buffy had warned him not to say anything to Lindsey, though finding out your kid sister got drunk at a party two years ago wasn't nearly as bad as finding out about it then would have been. Plus, that wasn't even the part he was worried about getting out, but for some reason any mention of that day always sent his mind into a tailspin. </p><p>OoOoO</p><p>Her stomach had been in knots ever since her mother came back and announced that the boys had made it and would be here shortly. Sneaking one of the shots off the table, she'd just managed to get it down when she saw her brother's old BMW pulling up. Tossing the little plastic cup into the trash, she turned on her best little sister charm as she made her way toward them. Lindsey could be an ass, but it came from a good place… most of the time anyway. </p><p>Lindsey smacked Angel in the arm as people started to come into view. "Damn," he shrugged toward some hottie taking a shot over by the garbage can, the entire center portion of her swimsuit missing, her boobs threatening to spill from either direction at any given moment. </p><p>It all happened so fast, driving closer, the girl coming into view, the gasp from Lindsey as realization struck. "No fucking way," his friend all but growled, jumping from the car that hadn't even come to a complete stop.  Angel's mouth fell open as he sat otherwise frozen watching her approach. Shaking his head, he tried to stop the way his eyes seemed to roam over her body. She definitely wasn't the little girl he'd tried so hard to imagine her as these last couple of years, hell she wasn't even a kid anymore, at least she didn't look like one he'd ever seen. </p><p>"What the hell do you think you're wearing," Lindsey spat, jumping out the car as he ran down the hill to meet her half way. He'd seen fucking porn stars in more than she had on. "Does mom know you're wearing this," he hissed, grabbing her arm to pull her towards the car. </p><p>She struggled against his grasp, "Jesus Linds, let me go."</p><p>Shaking his head, he finally released her once they'd made it back up the hill. He couldn't believe that she was out here prancing around like some damn prostitute in front of who only knew. "You are not wearing that," he turned to Angel who was just managing to get out of the driver's seat. "Angel, tell her she's not wearing this." </p><p>His eyes went wide, not sure what to say he opened and closed his mouth a few times before she was coming at him, practically jumping into his arms. Out of instinct his arms wrapped around her bare waist, holding her to him a few inches of the ground. "Hi," he smirked, brushing his lips against her forehead. </p><p>"Oh, so you do remember who I am," she teased, sliding down his body as he slowly released her. She couldn't believe that he was finally here, that they all were, it was going to be one hell of summer. </p><p>Angel grinned down at her, he wasn't sure why he let himself get so worked up. It was just Buffy, a very much older, more beautiful, nearly naked Buffy… but Buffy all the same. Clearing his throat he tried to focus on anything except for the way her warm body was pressed up against his. Taking a small step back he tried to put a little distance between them before everyone noticed just how he saw his "sister". </p><p>Lindsey grimaced, he wasn't sure what disgusted him more, seeing her all like that, or seeing her hanging off Angel <em> all like that. </em>"Would you please tell her that she cannot be out and about in that sad excuse for an outfit?!" </p><p>Buffy rolled her eyes. "It's just a swimsuit, Lindsey. I'm pretty sure you will find tons of ladies and probably a few gentlemen running around here in less than what I have on. Not to mention, in case you might have forgotten, I am not a little kid anymore, dear brother. I am an adult and I can whatever in the hell I want to!"</p><p>"I feel that we would actually be hard pressed to find any damn person wearing less than what you have on!" Lindsey argued.</p><p>Buffy huffed out a sound of annoyance. "Well, that's just too damn bad. Angel hasn't even talked to me in two years so he doesn't get a say, your opinion matters not. I mean, if someone has an issue with what I'm wearing then they simply don't have to look!"</p><p>"Well, gee, Buf. I'm not over here worried so much about people who don't want to basically see all of you but more of who in the hell does! And what in the hell is that?! Did you get a tattoo?"</p><p>"Oh, my good lord, Lindsey... why don't you just relax a little. Go mingle with people who are happy to see you, get some drinks inside that stupid body of yours, go swim, relax okay. Stop worrying about me and trying to take over my life in Minute One of you even being here. Alright?" Smiling, she turned her attention back to him. "In other news, it's good to see you finally."</p><p>Angel just nodded, unsure of what he was even supposed to say to her about that. </p><p>"Do you wanna come swim?"</p><p>"We just got here," Lindsey answered for him. "First thing on the agenda is hardly pal around with kid sis."</p><p>Buffy had a mixed look of sadness and annoyance cross her face for a moment before hurrying to cover it up. "Whatever then. I guess congrats on graduating, welcome home, and... see you when the hell ever," she muttered before starting to stalk off. </p><p>Lindsey rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm not happy to see you," he yelled after her. </p><p>Buffy didn't look back, just yelled "Whatever!" back to him.</p><p>Lindsey muttered something under his breath before walking off in a different direction, Angel followed behind him, doing his best to force his eyes off the retreating form of the small blonde.</p><p>OoOoO</p><p>"Put some damn clothes on!" Lindsey yelled loudly from his seat he'd been taking up for the past fifteen minutes. </p><p>Buffy glanced up to the deck they were crowded on and threw her middle finger up at him before walking back toward the large pool. </p><p>"I feel like I'm going to be busting a number of people's asses by the end of this night," Lindsey muttered, finishing off his bottle. </p><p>"Lindsey," Joyce said from behind them, "Leave your sister alone, please. She's fine."</p><p>"Have you been paying attention to the lack of clothing she's runnin' around in?"</p><p>"She's <em> fine </em>," Joyce repeated, her tone just a hair harder this time. </p><p>"You got that right!" All three of them turned to glare at Jesse who then held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, point taken. Don't kill me for trying to lighten the damn mood coming off of all of you."</p><p>Lindsey finally did crack a smirk, telling Jesse to pull up a seat so they could catch up. </p><p>OoOoO</p><p>Willow's elbow brushed into her a little, the redhead leaning closer. "Someone's staring at you again," Willow whispered in a sing-song tone. </p><p>Buffy's eyes met hers and they shared a smile before she dared glancing over her shoulder. She couldn't help but feel her heart flutter when her eyes met up with his, an unreadable look on his face. </p><p>"He almost looks mad."</p><p>Buffy nodded in agreement. "I don't know what in the hell he'd be upset with me over. I haven't done anything."</p><p>"Other than try and make out with him the last time he was here," Willow teased, she was the only person Buffy had shared that bit of information with, having to tell <em> someone </em>about it. </p><p>Buffy rolled her eyes, looking back at the water she had her legs dipped into. She wanted to play off that whole notion but couldn't seem to bring herself to do so. Angel hadn't come back until today, he hadn't called or written to check in with her, he'd ignored every phone call, voice message, gift, letter, e-mail she'd sent off as well until she simply stopped bothering with it. </p><p>Lindsey had promised her he was coming back for the summer with him and she'd just been excited that she was going to have her brother for the whole summer, she'd finally get to see him and the boys again, she supposed she hadn't given everything as much thought as she probably should have. She'd had all these visions of all of them hanging around like old times but with the way today was going so far she wasn't so sure that's how things were going to plan out in the end.</p><p>OoOoO</p><p>Buffy was mid-sentence telling something to Xander when a bunch of bodies jumped into the water around them, water splashing in what seemed like every which direction. Then, all of a sudden strong hands were on her, lifting her from her seat on the edge of the side of the pool and tossing her up in the air before letting go, letting her drop down into the cool water.</p><p>Breaking back to the surface, Buffy smoothed her hair back out of her face and glared at Angel. He seemed like he was back to being in a better mood, smirking her way. "It's nice to see you're still an asshole," she told him with a giant splash of water heading his way. </p><p>"Some things never change," he told her with a wink.</p><p>Buffy glanced over to where her brother was. "Oh, have you all decided you're not too cool to hang out with me now?" </p><p>"I never said we wouldn't hang out, sis. I just said you weren't top priority about it."</p><p>Buffy rolled her eyes. "I don't even remember why I was so excited about you all coming home."</p><p>"Oh, don't get your panties in a twist."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>CHAPTER TWO:</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While a game of water volleyball started out, Buffy found herself more or less alone with Angel for the first time in what felt like forever. She swam just a little closer to where he was before pulling herself out of the water to sit back on the edge. "You look different."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he didn't say anything, Buffy looked at him, her pulse quickening as his eyes seemed to be lingering over her. "Huh?" he finally muttered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I said, you look different," she repeated. "Older."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh. I guess, I don't really notice it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I bet all the girls just fall over themselves back at your big ol' fancy school," she teased but Angel just shrugged. "Is it weird being back here?" she asked after watching the game for a few moments. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah, a little. So much is exactly the same but a lot has changed too," his eyes raked over her once again. "Everything's grown up."  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There went that stupid flutter inside her, she'd hoped that being away from him for so long would help to dull things a bit, but apparently that didn't matter when you'd been crushing on someone since your pre-pubescent days. "Well that's kinda what happens when you up and disappear for two years. You know, believe it or not they make these devices to keep in touch with people long distance, the super special ones even have video." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smirked ignoring the volleyball game as he waded closer to her, smart-ass definitely ran in the family. "It wasn't just you," he sighed. "I kinda disappeared from everyone there for a while." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She hated how hard it was to concentrate whenever he was around, carefully slipping back off the ledge she eased herself back into the water. "But did you kiss them first," she asked, sliding her arms around him as she closed the distance between them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Buffy," he warned, looking around a bit nervously even as his hands betrayed him, seeking out her smooth thighs in an effort to guide her legs around him. "I don't know what you're talking about," he whispered, his voice far deeper than he'd intended. This was exactly what he'd been so terrified of, less than five minutes alone with the girl and they'd already managed to get all tangled up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Oh no?" She grinned as her thighs tightened around him, if she didn't know any better she just might say that he was flirting with her. She lowered her voice, "Then maybe I should remind you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes darkened, there was no way she was bold enough to kiss him in front of everyone."You wouldn't dare," he unknowingly taunted. He'd watched her with guys before, she was a flirt no doubt, but there was an innocence behind those big green eyes, one that they'd all tried their damndest to protect. "I mean, um..." he stuttered realizing the implication of his words. "Linds would kill us," he tried to reason, "Me especially. You have no idea how many nights I've laid there worried about this. He's my best friend Buffy, and I still remember the day your parents brought you home from the hospital," he swallowed hard, "Whatever happened that night, we can't let ourselves go there again… the cost would be too great." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her grin widened, if his goal here was to convince her that kiss meant nothing then he was doing one hell of a job. "I'm a big girl now Angel, in case you haven't noticed Lindsey doesn't get to dictate my life anymore." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Heads Up," Lindsey shouted just as the ball smacked Angel in the back of the head, causing him to loosen his hold on her. Pushing off her some more, he grabbed the ball and slammed it back in the asshole's direction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jesse being Jesse, took the opportunity to swim under the net, grabbing Buffy he pulled her back against him. "You know," he smiled against her ear. "I think I've just about got your brother convinced to let me take you out on a date." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy rolled her eyes, using her hand, she splashed water back towards his face. "Something tells me you're wrong about that," she quipped, noticing Lindsey's glare as he made his way towards them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jesse had been the last one to become part of their group. His family had moved here when the guys were in junior high, he was a year behind everyone else, so when the boys all left for college it was just him and her for a while there. Unlike Angel, Jesse never had a problem making his feelings for her known, she'd entertained the idea for a while but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get her heart on the same page. It was a shame too, he was a great guy, albeit a little forward, but he had a good heart. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Get off her," Lindsey snapped, pulling her from his arms and shoving her back towards Angel. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jesse stood up, "What the fuck man!? It's okay for him to be all over but not me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey chuckled, "Angel doesn't want to bone her, you on the other hand make no secret… very stupidly I might add, about the things you want to do to my sister." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jesse glanced back toward Angel who glared as he pulled Buffy safely back against him. Knowing he was the one Lindsey needed to be worried about, he shot them the finger as he climbed back out the pool. It was common knowledge how Buffy had always felt about the dude, and unlike her brother, he hadn't missed the way dipshits’ eyes seemed to find her all night either. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Jesse, don't go," Buffy sighed, splashing her brother. "Y'all are always so damn mean to him."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey waved her off, "Oh he's just pouting, he'll get over it." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy took the beer from Angel's hand that he'd just snagged from the side of the pool. "Sure, I wasn't drinking that," he smirked, pulling her with him towards Lindsey and the others. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She took a long drink, "Mmm, Here you can have it back," she smiled, passing it back to him just as Linds turned back around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You ride with Mom," Lindsey asked, not nearly as dumb as she would like to believe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy shook her head, "I drove over earlier to help get things set up." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well you're not driving back." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes, taking Angel's beer from him a second time she finished it off before sticking her tongue out at her brother, which seemed to cause the entire lot of them to crack up. To start cheering and chanting that Lindsey wasn't the boss no more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stuck around until practically everyone else, including their mom, had taken off to crash. After the little showdown in the pool, Lindsey had kept his mouth shut about her drinking, but he'd kept a close eye on her for the rest of the night. Not that he needed too, ever since he'd practically tossed her in Angel's lap, he'd seemed to take it as a small reprieve, hardly leaving her side for the rest of the night. He wasn't being overly gropie or anything like that, but he'd taken every opportunity he could to pull her down in his lap, or wrap his arms around her under the water, especially when Jesse would try to venture back around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey hadn't payed them any attention, and most people wouldn't even think too. But she'd known Angel her whole life, he was as stoic as they came, even though he tried his best to hide it, she was definitely sensing a little jealousy there. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You good to drive her home," Lindsey asked, walking back over to the small group scattered around the fire they had built earlier.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel nodded, "She keeps stealing all my drinks." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey rolled his eyes, he was going to have a talk with their mother. He got it, he understood her wanting to have a few drinks, but she needed to be a little more responsible, too. He thought that maybe it was a little unfair of him to be upset about her having a few too many tonight, or, hell, drinking at all in the first place because lord knew he had an endless supplies of stories to tell about some of his nights out when he was younger... but it was Buffy. And yeah, she may be older now but she wasn't of age for any of this... and more importantly she was basically here alone most of the time, the gang all having grown up and went their own ways in their day to day lives. He'd always felt like she was safer when he knew there were people all over town who'd go to bat for her any time no matter what... but things had changed and he worried enough about her without her off lowering her defenses. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I just love when you all talk about me like I'm not even here," Buffy muttered, shooting them both one hell of an annoyed look. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Well, you're too young to be carrying on like you are," he told her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy rolled her eyes, standing up. "Keep acting like I was oblivious to the lot of you when you were my age, or, scratch that... when you all were a whole lot younger than I am now. I had a handful of drinks tonight, big whoop!" she told Lindsey before turning the other way and starting to walk off. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel watched her for a moment before glancing over at Lindsey again. "I'll get her back to the house," he muttered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You sure?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel shrugged. "Yeah, it's not a big deal," he told him before sending Lindsey off to enjoy the last bit of what might remain of tonight and he went chasing behind Buffy, though making sure to give her space as she walked around for awhile before heading toward the parking lot. "He's just worried about you," he finally told her once she was inside the passenger seat, her arms folded over her chest, eyes staring out the window. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Everything that I do is wrong in his eyes," she muttered, her back pushing hard into the seat as she moved positions a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You know that's not true. He's just overprotective... and critical.... and an asshole..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You all were attempting to be alcoholics during your high school years, while I could list off every single incident where maybe I had a little too much to drink. I have had fun when out at parties or clubs before but it's never been out of control. I have never, not once, been black out drunk, forgotten where I was, I've never hopped off into bed with someone I didn't know or care to know because I was a little too tipsy... nothing like that... and none of that you can claim for yourself, he certainly can't. So the casting stones shit kind of pisses me off."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel sighed, backing the vehicle up. "Seems like a conversation to have with him at another time," he offered, not wanting her to blow up over everything. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy's head shook a little. "Been there, tried that. I just wanted to have a good time, you know. Hell, calm some of these damn nerves down and just relax a little. But here we are."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What in the hell do you have to be feeling nervous about?" he asked but Buffy just shook her head again and didn't say anything else until he asked if she wanted something from a drive thru before continuing on home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Stopping in at Sonic real quick had sounded like a good idea until she heard, "Oh my God! Angel? Is that you?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked confused and slowly said, "Yeah?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And not but a minute after a flood of blonde hair came rushing toward her car and she sat annoyed, waiting for her food and milkshake to come out, all while sitting quietly as one of Angel's old flings from high school flirted up a storm with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So, what are you doin' tonight?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uhh.. well, I was getting some food then taking Buffy back to her house and probably calling it a night after that," he mumbled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde rolled her eyes. "I can't believe your first night home and you've already been stuck babysitting your sister."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy let out an annoyed, heavy sigh while Angel shook his head. "Buffy's not-she's not my sister, she's </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lindsey’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>younger sister. And she's well old enough to not need a babysitter, obviously."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy suddenly felt like she had a ton of bricks resting on top of her chest, her breathing seemed to have come to a halt as she dared a glance back over Angel's way. His tone was completely no nonsense as he not only made sure to stick up for her in that moment but also the fact of him correcting someone over the fact she was not HIS sister. She couldn't recall a single instance where he or really anyone she knew just let that shit go and let whoever think whatever they wanted about their little family dynamic there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't know what Angel had said to her, too caught up in his last statements, but whatever it was didn't make the bimbo any happier and she pushed off the side of the car angrily and took back off inside the main building. Buffy sure was glad when she saw their food being brought out by a different lady and out of a different door though. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Refusing to let her pay for even just her portion, Angel asked if she wanted to stay here and eat or wait until they got home. Buffy took a quick sip out of her milkshake. "Home," she told him, trying her best to hide her smile that was still wanting to be plastered across her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy had to admit she felt a little more like herself again once she had her favorite treat in her stomach, though she wasn't so sure how long she might keep it down but she was holding out some hope. The two stayed inside the car parked in the driveway as they pecked at their food, drank the milkshakes down to nothing, and kept the conversation on a lighter note. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Lindsey still hadn't shown up once they'd had their fill, she stepped out of the passenger seat and sent him a quick text message, getting one back just a few moments later, she passed it along to Angel that he said he was on his way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Using his key, Angel unlocked the front door and stepped out of the way to let her in first and after that everything seemed to become a blur. Buffy, still only in her barely there swimming suit quietly started up the stairs while he followed, she told him she needed to pee but a few minutes later she opened the shared bathroom and told him to come in and they washed their faces and brushed their teeth beside one another.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wish people would see me," she suddenly said, looking at her reflection. "I'm always my dad's daughter or Lindsey's little sister." She sighed, "No one ever sees me for who I am, for Buffy." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel tossed the little hand towel back onto the counter. "I do," he told her, turning to face her away from the mirror. Hell, that was exactly what his big hang up these last couple of years had been, when he let his mind drift to thoughts of her, well he definitely wasn't imagining his best friend's little sister. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her gaze narrowed, "Oh please," she took a step closer to him. "I kissed you once and you all but ran away for two years because I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lindsey's little sister," </span>
  </em>
  <span>she mocked rolling her eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel let off some strangled noise in the back of his throat, she definitely wasn't the blushing little girl from his memories. "I didn't-I didn't run away," he groaned. "And you being his kid sister was only part of it Buffy, you know that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grinned, "Do I," she asked, inching her way closer. " 'Cause I seem to recall you saying something about lying awake for hours worried about my brother finding out…" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Closing the distance between them, she slowly reached out, her breath deepening as that weird tingle she'd always felt whenever he was around came back to life. "I've thought about that night a lot too ya know," she whispered, her fingertips dancing down his bare chest coming to rest at the string of his swim shorts just as she peaked up at him from under her thick lashes. "But unlike you," she leaned up to kiss his cheek, "Not one time did any of my little fantasies circle back to Lindsey." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Watching his jaw clench tight, she dropped her hand a little lower. Summoning every ounce of courage she had within her, she gently brushed against the slight tenting in his shorts as she went to step around him, "Goodnight Angel."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd stood there frozen for lord only knew how long fighting against the voices inside of him that were practically screaming for him to follow her, to prove to her just how clearly he saw who she was. Also he couldn't help but be more than a little curious to find out just how she'd become so brazen, to learn just who might of taught her these new skills in seduction while they were all away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd heard Lindsey coming up the stairs long before he reached his door. "How is she," he asked after popping his head inside to make sure she wasn't still around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel shrugged from his place on the bed, "You should probably prepare yourself for an earful come morning." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That bad huh," Lindsey asked, fully stepping inside, but Angel only sighed in response, very much feeling like he was being shoved into the middle of the very thing he'd tried so hard to avoid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She's not a little girl anymore Linds," he started but Lindsey was already blowing him off, his hand flicking through the air as if he could shove those words away. "Oh for fucks sake she's nineteen years old." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angels brow rose, "Do you remember what we were doing at nineteen? Hell we were already up at university by then," he rubbed a hand across his suddenly very tired eyes. "She's not as innocent as she used to be." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as the words left his mouth he'd known they were a mistake. Throwing the cover back, he quickly jumped up just as Lindsey's hand landed on the door connecting the two rooms. Angel quickly stepped around him blocking his path through the narrow bathroom. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean," Lindsey spat squaring off in front of him. "Did she tell you something," he demanded. "Has one of these fucking low lives been screwing my sister?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What," he grimaced. "No. I didn't mean innocent like that, I just meant that she's not a damn little kid anymore." He shoved him back into his room, the last fucking thing he needed was for her to over hear this damn conversation. "She just finished her first year at UC Sunnydale for crying out loud." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And what's that supposed to mean," Lindsey asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I don't care if she's fucking forty, I'm never going to be okay with my fucking baby sister getting wasted at some damn party. What if we weren't there huh, how did she think she was going to get home?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She wasn't wasted," Angel groaned, letting out a deep breath as he sank back onto the bed. "And we were there, that was kind of the point." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey took a seat on the opposite end of the bed. He knew Angel had a point even if he didn't like admitting it. In all the years he'd been gone at school not one time did he ever hear about her getting wasted or going home with some dude, and he knew a lot of fucking people in this town. "I just worry about her," he sighed, his shoulders slumping over. "Especially now. Before we were always there to protect her, but now she's basically on her own, and even though we're going to be going back to school closer to home come fall, it's still not going to be like it was before we all left." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sometimes things change no matter how hard you try to stop them." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"So you really think I'm being too hard on her," Lindsey asked, getting back to his feet. "I mean she's basically your little sister too. You really don't see any problems with the way she's going around acting, prancing around it scraps of fucking spandex, and drinking like she's just one of the guys?"  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel swallowed hard before shaking his head, "She's got a good head on her shoulders, like you said we made sure of that. Maybe you should try talking to her, voice some of your concerns </span>
  <em>
    <span>without</span>
  </em>
  <span> accusing her of all the things that we used to do at her age. You know as well as I do the more you harp on her, the more she's going to try and keep things from you." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey nodded, which Angel knew was probably the best response he could hope for right now. Ever since Mr. Summers passed away they had all taken it upon themselves to make sure that Buffy was looked after. Lindsey usually came across as a dick, but there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for that girl. Hell there wasn't much any of them wouldn't do for her. She'd been their little shadow ever since she was able to walk, when she was really young she stuck pretty close to Lindsey's side but as she got older she'd formed her own little attachment to all of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey was the one who protected her from all the assholes in the world, but he'd been the one she always turned too when the guys would start picking on her. He'd drive her around on his bike when Lindsey or Wes would complain that she couldn't keep up. He'd fall asleep in the living room with her after they'd all watch a scary movie, she'd never admit but he always knew she was too terrified to get off the couch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wish we could just hit some giant red button and just make her turn back to being four years old again, or eleven, or something," Lindsey muttered, bringing Angel back out of his thoughts and his little stroll down memory lane. Angel just shrugged and Lindsey started saying he should probably get some sleep in if he was going to wake up before noon come tomorrow. "I do feel bad for you though," Lindsey said a smirk. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah? And why's that?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey chuckled a little. "From the looks from tonight alone, sure seemed like Buffy still has a giant ol' hang up on your ugly mug."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even though it had been nearly impossible for him to fall asleep with his mind conjuring up inappropriate images one after another as he laid there and hoped for sleep to come, Angel still found himself waking up much earlier than he intended. Making his way down the stairs,he turned the corner to the kitchen, and felt all the air rushing out of his lungs at the image that greeted him. Buffy stood with her back against the sink counter, one leg propped up behind her, wearing what he could only assume were the tiniest pair of shorts a person could wear and a white tank top that wasn't doing a good job of hiding anything underneath it. Licking the top of her ice cream cone, she shot him a wink. "Good morning, sleepy head."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Joyce lowered her reading glasses and put her phone down before looking over her shoulder at him. "Good morning," she greeted as well, smiling brightly. "You sure are a sight for sore eyes, aren't you? I still can't believe it's been so long since you've been here, or how much I'm realizing I missed having you boys here, too."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hi, Mrs. Summers. Buffy. Is Linds awake yet?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Joyce told him they hadn't seen or heard from him yet and then she offered to get him something to eat if he were hungry. "You don't have to go through any trouble for me, really."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Joyce waved him off and Buffy rolled her eyes. "Please. You know this woman isn't happy unless she's off mothering the neighborhood."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finally relenting, he took a seat at the table, trying to do anything but stare at the youngest member of the family but was failing miserably. And she knew it, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What are your guys' plans for today, or for the week ahead? You know Buffy and I both have work during the weekdays so you'll  have to entertain yourselves when we're gone." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angel shrugged. "I don't really know, nothing really was planned out other than get here and see what happens."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Buffy smiled, pulling herself up on top of the counter now. "Well, mom and I were just talking about if we should just wing things this summer or should we try and make a plan for each weekend and what we want to do or where we all want to go some of those days. We have a number of passes for places to go this summer like water parks and amusement parks and a punch card for bowling and yadda yadda."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uhh... maybe just play it by ear, I guess would be my vote. You never know what might pop up or happen and I'd rather not have anyone looking forward to something for x amount of weeks then wind up disappointed or whatever."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Supposed that works for me," Buffy told him, just finishing the last of her frozen desert before a loud car horn was heard from outside. Buffy hopped back down quickly with a smile. "That would be for me," she said, grabbing a small bag off the back of one of the chairs. "I'll see you all later. Maybe we can throw some blankets and pillows all around the living room and doing a movie marathon or something tonight if we don't come up with any better ideas before then."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Lindsey did finally show his face, he looked more ragged than the rest of them, grunting and mumbling for the first ten minutes or so before seeming more like his usual self. "Where in hell is Buffy?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She went shopping with some of her friends," Joyce answered, setting some warmed up food in front him. "Lately most Sundays she, Willow and often times some of the others will meet up and walk around downtown for a couple hours."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"By themselves?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yes," Joyce drawled out. "And I would suggest you don't start in about it," she continued. "Your sister doesn't need someone following behind her everywhere she goes, making sure she's okay. You gotta let her have some freedom to grow up."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey sighed out loudly in annoyance. "I'm getting real tired of the lot of you and that nonsense."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Joyce just pointed a finger at him before changing the subject to asking them a little more about how school was going, how their social lives had been. "I was holding out a little hope that at least one of you boys would bring home a nice young lady for the summer," she told them, taking a seat after cleaning up a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lindsey nearly laughed. "That is so far from what was going to be happening, mother."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She shrugged. "Well, I can hope it won't be too terribly far away. Though, I do dread that day, too in some ways. You all can tease all you want about it but I can only imagine Buffy's heartbreak when you go off and settle down with someone, Angel."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She'll be fine. Her little childhood crush phase has to end at some point," Lindsey waved it off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe," Joyce said. "But need I remind you of this... your sister is getting older, and when she does move on with her life, you all are all going to have to accept that as well. One of these days she's going to be the one bringing someone home and falling in love and settling down, too. And all of you boys are going to have to deal with that. Buffy has friends of her own, she goes to school as well, she has a job, she has her own likes and dislikes and hobbies... she's her own person these days. Every time I see one of you I get an earful about she's doing this or she's doing that... and all of it is only going to continue so you might as well start getting a little more used to it now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking his final bite, "Sorry, Mom. Don't see that happening anytime soon, if ever. She's always going to be my little sister and I'm always going to worry about it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You're supposed to, Lindsey... but you can be a little overbearing."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I have no idea what you're going on about," he smirked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"You're terrible!" Willow laughed as Buffy whispered to her what she'd missed out on last night after going home. "That poor man is probably rethinking his choice to finally show is face back in town."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy shrugged, a coy look in her eyes. "It's not like he's told me to stop or anything." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Willow blushed, she was well aware of her friends feelings for the older man, but she wasn't sure what to make of Angel's new behavior just yet. She hoped for Buffy's sake that she hadn't been misreading signals, but then again she'd seen for herself the way he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Much against her friends fantasies, she had mostly thought Angel hadn't been back in so long simply because he was aiming to be first in his class, unlike Lindsey he'd always excelled academically, but now she wasn't so sure Buffy hadn't been onto something during her many ramblings over the years about the man.  Either way, she felt for him, it all seemed like one hell of a sticky situation, and no doubt if something ever did get out about the two of them, Lindsey would be guaranteed to lose it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy tried to enjoy her time out with her friends but her thoughts kept circling back to a certain someone back at her house. The alcohol may have given her a boost of confidence last night, but she couldn't wait to see how things were between them tonight when there weren't crowds of people and unlimited booze. It had been ages since they all just got to lounge about and gorge themselves on junk food. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which speaking of, she made sure to grab a couple extra packs of those of those little juice filled wax candy bottles when they hit the sweets shop. They had been her favorite for as long as she could remember, and Angel always ended up snatching up at least half of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She'd also managed to find the most absolutely perfect little pajama set. It wasn't much more than a tank top and shorts which would hopefully keep that brother of hers from saying much, but the way the silk clung to her added just that perfect bit of sexy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the passenger seat of Willow's car she tried to get a handle on her own emotions as they waved goodbye to the guys and began the journey back to her house. She had no idea what everyone back there was up to, after Angel's appearance this morning she figured it was just a matter of time before Linds was calling her or sending one of the boys out to follow her around like some crazy person. He hadn't tried that one since freshman year, but there still wasn't much she'd put passed him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which was exactly where that bubble of anxiety she'd been fighting all morning stemmed from. She didn't care what Lindsey thought or how mad he got about this that or the other, but he was her brother and she also knew that no matter what he would never turn his back on her. Angel was the closest thing to a brother he had ever known, but even she wasn't sure how Linds would react if anything were to ever happen between them, or how he would react to what already had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's home life was not the greatest, his mother was often addicted to one substance or another and she could count on one hand the number of times she'd even seen his father. Rumor was, it would cost him more to divorce the woman than he had after battling a decades long gambling problem. He'd grown up just on the outskirts of town, but somehow he and Lindsey wound up on the same t-ball team when they were four and had been basically stuck together ever since. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More often than not you would have found Angel passed out somewhere under their roof. There wasn't a single Christmas or Thanksgiving she could remember that he hadn't been there, her parents had truly taken him in as their third child, and after her Dad passed away he stuck around just as broken as the rest of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn't heard all of his reasons for disappearing the way he had, but the bigger part of her knew that she didn't have too. Without her family there wasn't much for him to come back too, especially when all their other friends were off at various schools doing their own thing. A part of her felt incredibly guilty when she thought of him spending the last several holidays and such alone, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't wish that night away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling into her long driveway she couldn't help but grin at Jesse's car parked right next to her own. She had been hoping that he would find some girl off at college to fall all head over heels in love with but apparently that still hadn't happened. He was harmless most of the time, but last night there was definitely some tension floating around though that wasn't really anything new when that many of them got together. It was just weird that she suddenly found herself in the middle of it all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You sure you don't wanna stay," Buffy called out to Willow as she gathered her bags from the trunk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," Willow sighed regretfully, "Summer classes remember? Besides, between last night and this morning I already lost too many hours that should have been spent studying." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy stuck out her lip in a mock pout but didn't press any further. She understood the need to study, but she would never understand her friends devotion. One day she really was going to make a great surgeon. Glancing back over her shoulder, she used her free hand to wave goodbye to her friend one last time before she hurried to slip in the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey, Angel, and Jesse were all hanging about the family room as she passed by. Skuttling by she'd thought she was in the clear when she heard freaking Jesse calling after her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What's this I hear about a movie night princess?" Ignoring the glares from the other men in the room, Jesse stood to make his way towards her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled brightly, "Ya, I thought it was probably the best idea figuring everyone was surely beat after last night." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Plus I got snacks," she smiled again, holding up the bag from the candy store. Along with her own favorite treats, she'd also made sure to grab some thing for Lindsey and whoever else may decide to show up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here let me help you," Jesse whispered as he reached her, easing a few of the bags from her grasp as he began leading the way to her room. Spinning to follow, she nearly laughed out loud at the look of disgust on her brothers face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That door better stay open asshole," she heard Lindsey's voice bellow just as they'd deposited all her purchases onto the top of her bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry," she mumbled. "Apparently assholeism isn't something you grow out of afterall."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jesse shrugged, he was used to getting picked on, not only was he the youngest of their little group, well excluding Buffy anyway, he was the only one who wasn't scared to speak his damn mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't worry about it, Lindsey's just pissed he can't control every aspect of your life anymore." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy chewed on his words for a second, she was sensing quite a bit of hostility from him that she didn't entirely know what to think of it. She had her own issues being taken up with Lindsey but she really didn't need everyone imploding on one another around her. "He means well," she tried to shrug it off. "Besides, I absolutely plan on getting it through his thick head that he can't just breeze into town and take over everything all over again as he so chooses."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jesse fell silent for a moment, looking around her room. "You know, I do really like you, Buffy. I always have."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy felt a tug on her heartstrings at his words and she smiled a little his way. She was struggling to find what to say in response but it turned out Lindsey got tired of waiting for them to come downstairs and was soon standing in her doorway. Buffy rolled her eyes and looked at her watch. "Wow. You almost beat your record."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, I don't like little boys hanging around in my sister's bedroom longer than they need to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling her hair up into a tighter ponytail, Buffy looked over the large shelf of DVD's. "Okay, so are we just choosing random movies, are we themeing it up, marathon... what's happening here?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boys all started going back and forth while Joyce brought in a few bags of popcorn. "Maybe you could do a classic summer theme to kick things off?" she suggested. "Perhaps each of you could choose a movie, or at least keep going until you start knocking out one by one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small argument broke out about order until they, as per usual, wound up having to draw straws but then everyone more or less settled down. Joyce made them some easy finger foods for dinner in case they wanted them and as always the kitchen and pantry were otherwise open to anyone who wanted something, plus all the snacks Buffy brought in earlier. They each grabbed a little snack caddy and filled them up before taking seats around the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel found it impossible to follow along with the movie no matter how hard he tried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mind was just elsewhere. He'd get annoyed with Jesse and his endless flirting and trying a couple times it seemed to bait Lindsey into some sort of argument. It wasn't as though Jesse's harmless comments or subtle actions had never happened before, but they were irritating him in ways he hadn't had to really deal with back then. Between now and last night he had just about had enough of them interacting all together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Jesse had left his seat to go use the bathroom, or who the hell knew, Angel had wasted no time moving - with Lindsey's help at that - his belongings away from Buffy and he'd taken a spot at the other end of the couch from her. Jesse wasn't going to sit in between them, he was sure about that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey had laughed, Jesse wound up laughing about it as well, shaking his head as he plopped down on a huge bean bag chair on the floor. "Jealous isn't a good color on you," he threw out to Angel which only made Lindsey laugh harder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as he tried to keep his eyes off Buffy, it just wasn't working out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two years was absolutely not long enough to extinguish whatever feelings he'd been trying to avoid having for her. If anything, he was worried the time apart had done more damage than good with all this new found sexy confidence she obviously seemed to have gained, and there was no denying how more beautiful she'd gotten from ages seventeen to now at nineteen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't like she wasn't beautiful her whole life, but he was pretty sure anyone with eyes certainly noticed when she hit puberty, and as the years went by it was like she just filled out to the point of perfection. She'd always been the cutest little girl in the room even when she was little, the girl everyone took notice of, the girl everyone wanted to be friends with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But it had been easy for the longest time to just know that yes, she was beautiful, sweet, lovely in all the ways and yet it be a passing thought or glance. He didn't harp on it at all... until he did. And when he did, it felt like he had been rammed into by a goddamn freight train. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nearly every memory he had of his childhood was with the Summers' family, he'd grown up sharing a room with Lindsey for the longest time before they converted another room into another bedroom, staying months on end at a time with them before even stopping in to check on his parents at times. At first when he was younger he thought he irritated them a little by always trying to hang around with Lindsey but he hated being at his house and they were safe, they made sure he had food when he was at their house, they were a real family and he clinged to every ounce of it he could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took Joyce one time to see what his home life was to change his whole life around. Just one day... she tried dropping him off, he never even got out of the car, and he didn't know what was said there at the front door but she had stalked back and that was just that. He was just part of the family. He practically moved in, they bought him new clothes as he needed them, school supplies, went to every meeting at school he'd ever had, every game they made sure he played if he so wanted, took him on every family vacation, got him to the doctor when he needed. He had never celebrated any holiday before they took him in and had made every single of them such a huge deal when he was growing up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey was his best friend, his brother in every sense of the word. Joyce was the only mother he had ever known, even to this day she was the person he called when he had a problem, she sent him care packages, money when he needed it even though he'd never asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he was terrified more than anything in this world to fuck that up, to ruin his family dynamic, ruin the friendship he had with Lindsey, make everyone he cared about turn on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He really had no idea how Lindsey would react if he told him about any of this right now he could only come up with two scenarios, one where Lindsey laughed hysterically at him, probably didn't believe him at first either, but eventually came around... but what seemed more probable was Lindsey just flat out seeing red, feeling betrayed by him given his place in this household, and think of him as the last person on the planet he wanted with his baby sister. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lusting after Buffy like he was couldn't be worth ruining a lifetime of memories, a future of them yet to be made. And yet... here he the fuck was seemingly unable to stop the parade of images flickering through his damn mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He may have started off on the opposite end of the couch from her, but she'd quickly rectified that by grabbing one of the blankets and sliding her little sock covered feet across his lap. It was a losing battle, there wasn't a single part of his body that he had control of whenever she was around. As much as he tried to ignore her, he soon found his own hands creating trails under the blanket.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow they had made it to their second movie of the night, but he would of been hard pressed to even tell you the name of the first. Now they were watching some horror flick Lindsey had picked out, and try as she might to hide it, he could still feel her tense up every time something scary happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Softly kicking off his shoes, he carefully maneuvered into the small space behind her. Draping an arm around her thin waist he pulled her back snug against him. He wasn't sure what the hell he was doing, to everyone else it may have just looked like he was trying to get comfortable, but in reality he'd just lost the battle of wills within him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes went wide when she felt his warm frame curl around her, he was brave, she'd give him that. Though she was pretty sure Lindsey wouldn't say anything, he'd probably just think he was putting on a show for Jesse, he was a bit air headed like that after all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's thumb was tracing soft circles across her abdomen where her tank top had ridden up and it was taking absolutely everything in her to try and ignore it. Her whole body molded against him, every curve, every bend perfectly matched his own and that small tingle she felt whenever he was around suddenly felt as though it was coursing through her, spreading through all her limbs, igniting every place he touched, leaving her hyper aware of every movement, every breath that came from behind her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Too involved in the silent game he had going on with Buffy under the covers, he couldn't begin to tell you what the hell they were supposed to be watching. Jesse, having finally taken notice of his new position, tried to call him out again, but Lindsey had once again just laughed him off shooting Angel a wink in the process. He knew he was playing with fire here but he just couldn't bring himself to care, not with her pressed up against him the way she was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd started it, unable to keep his hands to himself he'd begun a very slow exploration by slipping his palm beneath her top and caressing her stomach, but she'd amped things when she grabbed his wrist and boldly guided his palm to one of her lace covered mounds. All the air rushed from his lungs as in that second he knew he had to decide what his move was going to be, proving what a terrible friend he was and against his better judgment he gave her a gentle squeeze as he dropped his head down to rest against her shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was pretty sure she'd never been so close to a heart attack, the blood rushing through her veins was basically drowning out all the sounds around her, except for the heavy pants coming from Angel. Though to be fair, she wasn't so sure who's breath she was hearing, his or her own. His feather light touches had morphed somewhere along the way, he was now alternating from one pebbled peak to the other and damn near leaving her breathless in the process. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She'd never been in a situation anywhere close to this, one of the drawbacks of being Lindsey's little sister and living in the same one Starbucks town that they had grown up in, was that most guys, even her age were absolutely terrified to cross that line with her. She'd made out with a few guys sure, hell she'd even kissed Jesse once upon a time, but no one had ever touched her like this, she'd never wanted them too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning a bit in his arms, she hooked one of her legs over his thighs as she rolled on her back to meet his gaze for the first time since all this got started. "Hi," she whispered, trailing her fingers across his jaw, trying her best not to blush at the sultry look in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held her a bit closer, suddenly she wasn't Lindsey's little sister, or the girl that followed him around everywhere when they were younger, she was just Buffy. Leaning forward, everything seemed like it was moving in slow motion, he wasn't even sure if she was drawing him closer or if he was moving to his own accord, but the next thing he knew his lips were brushing against hers all over again. Just like the time before, the rest of the world seemed to melt away as he silently fought for more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good grief," Lindsey huffed from the recliner in front of them. "Would the two of you stop fucking smacking, it sounds like you're making out and it's giving me the damn creeps." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Breaking apart, Buffy couldn't help but bust out laughing at the look of utter terror on Angel's handsome face. He tried to sit up but she latched onto his arm and pulled him back down next to her as she grabbed a package of sour patch kids, and chunked them into her brother's lap. There was no way she was letting him run away from her again, not this time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel seemed to keep a better handle on himself the rest of the evening, he still held her but he linked his fingers with hers and didn't dare move for the rest of the film. Jesse was snoring on the bean bag off in the corner as he had been for most of the night by the time the last film finally ended. Having seen it before, Angel made sure to get up just before the credits started rolling under the guise of getting the lights. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tossing the blanket off her, she made sure to straighten out her shirt before standing up to stretch. "That was fun," she chirped, her eyes dancing over to Angel's who seemed to be doing everything in his power not to look in her direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What should we do about him," Lindsey asked all but ignoring her, as he shrugged toward Jesse who now sprawled out on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh just let him be," Buffy sighed, grabbing the blanket she'd just been using to throw over his sleeping form. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey eyed her skeptically, "I better not wake up to him in your room." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy rolled her eyes, "Oh please," she groaned, grabbing her pillow from the abandoned sofa. "I'm pretty sure that's the last thing you need to be worried about," she smirked, her eyes finding Angel's once again. She was still having a hard time processing that he'd actually kissed her, and judging from the look on his face so was he. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaving the boys with the rest of the clean up, she made her way to her room to get ready for bed. Grabbing one of her bags from the mall earlier, she quickly pulled the new pajamas she'd gotten earlier out to change into. Standing in front of her large full length mirror, Buffy smoothed out the tank top, unable to help but imagine Angel's hands instead of hers as they slid back over her breasts. She let out a slow breath, her body still feeling as though it was tingling all over from how he had touched her earlier, before testing out different angles of her reflection in the new sleep outfit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Satisfied enough, she hurried to the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed, brushing her hair out before fixing her ponytail back up, brushing her teeth and washing her face. She spied some of Angel's toiletries now resting randomly around the room and had never been happier about her decision to switch out her and Lindsey's room once he'd been moved out long enough and their mom finally gave in about it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Practically skipping back downstairs, she looked back over to where Jesse was, not surprised to see him still asleep and snoring away. "How's things going?" she turned, asking the other two. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel, having just taken a drink, nearly choked to death at the sight of her while Lindsey rolled his eyes. "Do you even own anything that could be deemed appropriate?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked down at herself and shrugged. "What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey just rolled his eyes again and told her they were just about done. "I didn't do shit today and I feel beat," he grumbled. "I'm ready to pass the hell out and just start again tomorrow." Looking back at his sister he narrowed his eyes. "Are you going to be freaked out all night because of that movie?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What? No.... of course not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh huh. Well, Angel you think you could leave your door unlocked in case she gets all paranoid about zombies or serial killers or something? Or you could always just walk her back downstairs if you don't want to deal with her dramatic ass. There's plenty of floor space." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I will be fine," she told him, hung up on the whole first part of his grumblings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure you will," he teased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever. I was going to offer to help again but I take it back. I'm just going to bid you a goodnight then and move on with my life... thank you very much."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Angel's eyes stared up at the ceiling, his mind replaying everything that had happened downstairs on the couch earlier. He had utterly ate up everything about how Buffy had reacted to his touch, how she had pretended to ignore him at first but he had felt her completely still under his touch before her breathing began to increase deeper and deeper, how she had squirmed against him when he rolled her nipples between his fingers, or rubbed his thumb against the perfect peaks, her breathing erratic, how she was trying so hard not to make any noise to draw attention to the two of them, how her ass would press into his lap while her chest would arch deeper into his touch... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Groaning out into the empty room, he found himself getting hard again just thinking about her, how fucking perfect she had felt against him, in his arms, against his lips... She tasted exactly like he had remembered and it was intoxicating, she fucking felt like coming home, like that's somehow where he belonged, as though making out with her was the most natural thing in the world, like it was exactly what he was supposed to be doing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing his eyes, Angel tried to remind himself of all the reasons under the sun why any and all thought of him and Buffy being more than friends like they'd always been were a bad idea. He was beginning to wonder if he didn't need to come up with some sort of mantra to run through his mind over and over again when he heard the door leading from his room to the shared bathroom opening up. . </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel asked if everything was okay and received a nod from her which he could just make out in the blue glow from the night light in the bathroom. "Did you get scared after all?" he asked next, sitting up on his elbows in the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," she answered softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You sure?" he asked when she continued to stand there just inside the doorway looking a little nervous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her head nodded again. "C-can I lay with you?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Buffy-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>And</span>
  </em>
  <span> we not talk about my brother in the process," she cut him off with, her voice a little less nervous that time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Buffy..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning slightly, her hands pushed the door shut and he heard the little clinking noise from the lock being turned which made his heart race a bit and his nerves start going into overdrive. Swallowing audibly in the now dark room, he pulled the comforter back for her once she reached the edge of the bed then his arms reached out for her, pulling her closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy smiled, her nose brushing against his for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you doin' in here, Buffy?" he barely managed to whisper out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As an answer, Buffy's fingertips danced up his chest, his throat, tugging at his chin until his lips lowered down to hers. Not being entirely blindsided or having to worry Lindsey was going to turn around and catch them in the middle of something sure was liberating Angel found, the teasing taste of her quickly turning more needy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy gasped as he rolled on top of her and he used the opportunity to slip his tongue past her lips, exploring her deeper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Angel," Buffy panted in a whispered voice when they finally were forced to break away in need of air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed hard again, meeting her eyes that seemed to sparkle even in the dark. "Yeah?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy pressed her lips together for a moment. "I want you to touch me again... li-like you did... downstairs," she said, doing her best to hide any nerves she had. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're going to get me fucking killed," he whispered back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No one has to know..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel lowered his head again, capturing her lips as one large hand flirted with the bottom of the smooth tank top she had changed into earlier. Not feeling like he even had much choice in the matter, his hand slowly lifted until he touched the bottom side of her soft mounds, sliding to the side a little more, he cupped her entire breast in his hand, squeezing lightly before doing the same to its twin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy moaned when he repeated the action before his thumb began circling around her nipples, quickly feeling them pebble under his touch. Angel's thumb and forefinger rolled each peak until she squirmed under him, lightly tugged at the taut flesh then switching his weight to his other arm, he licked at his thumb before letting it slip under the silk top and began teasing her, his thumb brushing back and forth against the excited peak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's fingernails dug into his arm, her breathing uneven. "A-Angel?" she panted, her chest arching into him, hips jerking every time he touched her at a certain angle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I feel... something... weird..." she stammered, not sure what was happening to her, but knowing she didn't want it to stop. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His movements stilled for a second as the realization dawned on him, "Buffy," he groaned once again before capturing her lips. "Have you ever-," he started but she immediately began to shake her head, her teeth rolling over her bottom lip, arguably creating the cutest pout he'd ever seen. He felt himself harden further between them, he definitely felt some guilt being the first to touch her like this, but the bigger part of him was elated that no one had brought her to these heights before. "Never," he asked, "Not even to yourself?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Eww," she blushed, meeting his eyes again. "Why would I do that?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn't help but chuckle, "Don't laugh," she pouted, squirming beneath him, silently reminding him that this was far from a laughing matter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not laughing," he promised, his lips starting a trail down the side of her neck. Her hips arching into him caused him to bite back a moan of his very own as she glided against his aching shaft. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He panted, he was a fucking a dead man walking and he knew it. "We're about to cross a line here beautiful," he tried to warn her.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her fingers skated their way back around his neck, "So cross it," she dared, pulling him back down to her. She only thought what she'd felt earlier was intense, but what she felt right now, she didn't even have words, her body seemed to be in hyperdrive, there was an ache inside of her that she'd never felt, that she was terrified was never going to go away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please," she gasped, looking up to him as he pulled away again. He hesitated for a moment, but then she almost saw the second he gave in, his eyes seeming to darken several shades. Swallowing, he gave a slight nod as his trembling hands began to slowly inch the silk top up and over her shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>'So much for that mantra', he thought, taking in the sight of her half naked form. He watched in fascination as her perfect mounds rose and fell with every breath, her nipples, still peaked and hard begging for his attention. Embarrassed, her eyes sparkled again as she went to cover herself but he softly grabbed her wrist, shaking his head as he slowly guided them above her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fuck," he whispered, coming back against her, "You're so beautiful," he mumbled, before his lips started a brand new journey leaving hot open mouthed kisses down her throat and over her chest until he finally came into contact with one of her pebbled peaks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the first flick of his tongue her thighs tightened around him, while the tiniest moan fell from her lips. He grinned, completely aware he was going to be addicted to that sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued to nibble, lick, and nurse at the sensitive point until she was writhing beneath him all over again, and even then he only switched sides, needing to show all of her equal attention. Had he known how perfectly she molded against him he never would have been able to stay gone as long as he had, it wouldn't have been possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had tried so hard to stop this before it happened, but right now he could barely recall a single fucking reason why it shouldn't. She wasn't that little girl he remembered so well, just like he wasn't that young boy riding around town on his bike. She was Buffy, and she was currently making his cock ache with a need he'd never fucking felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn't sure what to do with her hands so she kept them tangled in his hair. This was all brand new, it almost felt like her body was under his control instead of her own. She had tried to be still but the way he felt against her was just too much. Of course she'd seen a penis before but never in person, and she absolutely had no idea it could feel like this through their clothes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he pulled away, she'd started to protest, but his head dipped lower to tease his way down her side, effectively cutting off all her words. Coming into contact with the narrow elastic of her shorts, he followed it's path around to her center. She'd been so focused on what he was doing with his mouth that she hadn't even noticed his hand sliding between her thighs until his thumb was brushing across her thin panties. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sucked in a breath as an uncontrollable shutter rolled through her, biting her lip she tried her best to stay quiet. Normally she wouldn't have even been able to imagine herself in a position like this, but she also knew there was now no way she would ever be able to go on without it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slipping his thumb beneath the fabric, he was pretty sure he let out an audible groan as he finally came into contact with her warmth. Reminding himself that she'd never been touched, he tried to move with as much care as possible as he inched his thumb between her folds, daring to brush it across her swollen bundle of nerves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her thighs fell apart all on their own as she clutched at the pillow around her. Part of her wanted to push him away, to cry that she couldn't handle it when she felt one of his long digits probing her entrance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His cock twitched as he slipped inside her for the first time, her inner walls instantly clenched down on the intrusion and he stilled wanting to give her time to adjust. He kissed up her thigh, back over her poor excuse for shorts, and up the rest of her toned body until he was once again propped up above her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Capturing her lips, he gently glided in and out of her silky depths a few times before abandoning her entirely to tug her bottoms down until she could kick them the rest of the way off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glancing between her soft thighs, all the air left him as he took in the sight of her. There was nothing he wanted more than to taste her, but he wasn't sure if that would be too much. Smoothing his hand back between her legs he took a second to take in the sight before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her chest was rising and falling at a rapid pace, her perfect little pout calling out to him as she fought to remain in control, the thinnest sheen of sweat dusting her lip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to touch you," she whispered breaking his trance, then not even giving him time to react, she slipped her small hand between them and boldly began palming his throbbing shaft through his shorts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a small grunt while he tried not to let his eyes roll back, "Later," he promised sinking lower down her perfectly toned abdomen and out of her reach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Worshiping every inch that he crossed, he fought the overwhelming urge to truly make her his own. Rubbing his thumb back between her slick folds he watched as it disappeared inside her, creating a new path his mouth didn't yet dare to explore. Buffy squirmed and moaned as he explored her again, her hips slightly jutting this way or that at random. Swallowing loudly, he guided up her sex until the pad of his thumb reached the swollen bundle of nerves craving his touch the most. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Angel," Buffy breathed out, her hands pressing hard into the mattress, fingers spread as far apart as they could go before they started shaking and curling up in the sheet under her. Angel's thumb rolled the pink bud slowly, drawing out every whimper and moan that was falling from her parted lips. "I feel weird again," she groaned out, her knees trying to lock back up together around him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah?" he asked, his voice low, increasing pressure and speed in his motions just a hair. "Weird how?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know," Buffy whispered, her back arching. "It's like I am tingling everywhere... And like I n-need some-something... and I don't know what it is," she almost cried. "I-it's like I keep coming to the e-edge of something a-and I can't go over it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel smirked a little, trying to imagine what all of this must be like to her, his eyes just taking in the sight of his hand moving against her a moment longer. His dark eyes glanced up to meet hers, "You sure you want to go over that cliff, Buffy?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked a little dazed and her head barely nodded. She felt like she was on some wild ass roller coaster and the anticipation from the climb and teetering over the plunge down was about ready to just swallow her whole, she wanted how she felt right now to last forever, and yet she didn't think she could stand the pressure building up another second and needed it to break over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, she felt a finger dip back inside her center, moving in and out of her slow and steadily while his thumb continued to tease and probe and she felt a little less empty, like part of what she was craving having been met. The second she felt the perfect amount of friction against her angry bud it was like she could see stars of endless colors dancing across her eyes, wetness seeped out of her, and her whole body seemed to start to tremble and shake... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was too caught up in that alone that she didn't even notice when Angel's fingers slipped away from her, or to notice what Angel was doing next until his hands squeezed her ass, pulling her to his mouth, his tongue lapping hungrily at her like she was some sort of ice cream cone on a hot summer's day. She wasn't even halfway over one wave and here he was about to drive her to the brink of insanity, she was sure of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A-Angel, I can't," she cried out, her legs shaking uncontrollably as his mouth continued to devour her. She was pretty sure she was going to have bruises on her ass from how tight he kept hold of her, and if he kept it up she was also sure that all of her fingernails clawing at him were going to start drawing blood here in a minute. "I can't," she repeated, eyes rolling back in her head. "I can't, I can't," she practically chanted, even as his lips caught the bud of her clit and gently tugged on her before sucking hard. She slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming loud enough to wake the whole house up as pleasure tore through her a second time, a dozen times stronger than the first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Daring to look at him, she squeaked out a high pitched noise the second she saw his head just right there, between her legs, his mouth on her most intimate spot like it was the most natural thing in the world. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's head was spinning as his tongue pressed against the crease of her perfect pink lips, his tongue diving inside the second she granted him entrance, his body wanting to catch fire at even knowing she was tasting herself on him... and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>why </span>
  </em>
  <span>that was. He'd had every intention of not pushing things any further with her tonight, knowing he was already crossing way too many damn lines, but seeing her turn into a muddled mess in front of him had just been too much for him to take. He'd needed more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't just want to be the first one to touch her in that moment, he wanted to be the only one who ever fucking would. He didn't just want to watch her get off before him, he wanted to taste her, he wanted to feel her against his hand as she came, to feel her shaking and dripping onto his tongue, he wanted to feel her on his aching, angry cock, squeezing him like she had his finger, he wanted to know what it would be like to take her in every single position he could think of. He wanted to find out her favorite position, what she liked, what was a sure fire way to get her off. He wanted to know every sound he could possibly draw out of her. He wanted everything. With her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you thinking?" Buffy asked after pulling away in need of air to fill her lungs back up, dragging him out of a fantasy of her on all fours, that timid little virgin inside of her not caring as she begged him to never stop fucking her and how he'd promise to for the rest of his existence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think it's better if I don't answer that," he told her, his voice huskier than he'd intended, the look in his eyes making a shiver run down her spine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kiss me again," she whispered and he quickly gave into such request, unable to stay away from her for long anyway. "And again," she whispered, Angel smiling and giving in once more. "And again, and again, and forever," later came, making him growl against her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Careful what you wish for," he warned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's tongue pressed hard into the roof of her mouth and the back of her top teeth, her face feeling like it was catching fire as she rested her cheek on Angel's chest, her fingertips daring to trace the outline of Angel's erection through his shorts. She found herself oddly fascinated with every twitch of his angry flesh, with how the tenting seemed to keep growing, and how he felt against her fingers, her hand when she dared laying her hand flat, then curling her fingers around him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Does that hurt?" she asked, peeking back at his face. She was pretty sure it didn't given things she had heard through gossip and even having seen in movies and such, but this wasn't something she went about doing... well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No," he ground out between his clenched teeth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure? Because you look like it's hurting," she pressed but Angel just closed his eyes. Her eyes traveled back down his body to where her hand was, her mind trying to come up with what she wanted to do next. She gripped a little tighter and listened as he gasped, she had this aching need inside her to make him feel the way she had but she wasn't sure how to go about doing that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coming to a decision, she tugged for a second on the grey string of his shorts until it finally gave way and she was able to pull the knot out, she knew the basics of what was supposed to happen here, she didn't think she could possibly mess it up that badly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced back at Angel whose eyes were back on her, looking at her in that way that made her want to squirm. Her palm went flat against his smooth skin, her fingertips dipped below the waistband of his boxers crawling along until she came into contact with his hard base.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's so soft," she whispered, amazed by its silky feel, granted she hadn't spent a whole lot of time imagining what this might feel like, but never would she have guessed it to be like this. Her palm closed around him giving him a little squeeze which caused his hips to thrust forward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stealing another peak at him she grinned in excitement over her achievement. His lashes blinked open as his dark eyes locked back onto her, as difficult as it was to stay focused there wasn't a single moment he wanted to miss. When he felt her pushing at his shorts, he quickly went to help her remove them, pushing them past his hips until he could work them along with his boxers the rest of the way off.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dropping his head back he tried not to focus on the fact that they were both now naked in his bed, he wanted nothing more than to roll her back beneath him and teach her just how much she really could handle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ohh," she whispered, seeing the first drop of moisture roll down his darkening tip. She squeezed her thighs back together in an effort to fight off that tingly feeling she felt stirring back to life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He continued to watch through hooded eyes as she carefully explored, smirking at her boldness as she went from barely touching him with her fingers to squeezing him firmly inside her palm. He noticed the longer she worked him the more she started to squirm, shifting around on her legs like she couldn't get comfortable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She'd been so focused on what she was doing to him, she hadn't noticed his hand sliding back between her thighs until his fingers were back at her center rolling around that sensitive spot that made her want to beg and plead to stay this way forever. "It's supposed to be your turn," she gasped even though she was already coming up on her knees, her hips turning to give him better access. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned, then as an answer he used his free hand to join hers around him. His skin was stretched so taught he felt like it may burst at any given moment, no longer able to hold back he began to slowly thrust into their conjoined hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not wanting his help, she shoved his hand away, he grumbled something and then she saw his hand tangling in the sheet and she had to bite back her own grin of satisfaction. "Harder," he commanded, and she felt him swell further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needing to draw this out a bit more, she wanted to make sure he felt as insane as she had, she slowed down, loosening her grasp until just her fingertips were running along him. Her own body arching back against his fingers that had found their way back inside her, wetting her lips she leaned over and took a deep breath before swirling her tongue around his tight flesh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hips rose from the bed, "Jesus Buffy," he ground out in the absolute sexiest tone she'd ever heard. She felt him tugging on her thighs before he wrapped his arms completely around her, guiding her knees across his face. "A-Angel," she barely managed before she felt his lips circling her again. "Just keep going," he urged, pulling back from her just enough to get the words out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was a whole lot easier said than done with the way he was pushing her back towards that edge. Sliding her lips back around him she tried to hold her breath as he slid to the back of her throat, this new position he had her tangled up in seeming to aid her movements. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying her best to concentrate on what she was doing, she tested out different rhythms and speeds until she felt him break away from her practically chanting for her to stop as his fingers started that tantalizing motion back inside her. "Wh-why," she gasped as he slid from her mouth. She didn't want to stop, she was pretty sure she'd just discovered one of her favorite new past times. The idea of what she was doing had always disgusted her, she'd never understood why on earth anyone would want to put their mouth there, but she couldn't get enough, falling in love with every reaction she could pull from him, loving how he felt against her tongue, and the salty flavor she kept getting a taste of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Deciding she'd given him enough of a break, she traced her tongue back down his length, causing him to nearly growl against her. For someone with no experience, it sure felt like she knew what she was doing, he was fighting every muscle in his body while he tried to keep from choking her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Beautiful if you don't stop..." he barely managed his voice husky and deep, before he lost all ability to speak once again as she damn near swallowed him whole. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Popping him from her mouth, she released a moan of her own as that warm tingle threatened to take her all over her again. She tried to move her hips, tried anything to get away from his lips, his mouth, his tongue, but everytime she squirmed he held on tighter determined to take her with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She cried out as he sucked on her swollen nub again, and saw those first specs of color dancing along her peripheral when she felt his fingers pumping in and out of her in the same motion. Using her elbows for leverage, she threaded both her hands around him as she took him back inside her mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt her knees lock around him before nearly buckling as she finally gave into the pleasure rolling through her. He tried to warn her one last time but she ignored his attempts and he gave up any efforts he had left, focusing instead on the flame in his groin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She'd just started to float back to reality when he seemed to swell even further than before and she tasted the first stream of warm liquid coating her throat. His hips rolling, she continued to work him until he was grasping at her, flipping her around as gently as he could manage before rolling her back beneath him to capture her lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her arms went easily around him, her fingers tangling back in the short hairs around the back of his neck, her body was still trembling with aftershocks. "Hi," she finally said after staring at him for what felt like forever, just basking in whatever this was supposed to be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hi."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy tugged him to her once more, her mind trying to hold off the urge to squeal, jump for joy that any of this was even happening, to throw a pillow over her face and scream until the bright red blush trying to creep its way back over her entire body was gone. "We should do this again sometime," she finally panted out, trying to be flirty instead of being swallowed up by anything else she was feeling at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah?" Angel chuckled, rolling to the side of her, his lips unable to stray too far from her long, brushing softly at her shoulder, his arms still wrapped around her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah," she breathed out, tugging at her bottom lip. "Same time, same place tomorrow sound good to you?" she asked, eyes twinkling back at him as her head turned to face him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having sneaked back to her room before their conversation turned any heavier than where it was heading once Angel tried throwing out a warning that sooner or later someone was bound to find out about them, she was finally looking as though she might drift off when she barely made out him coming to her room and making a pallet on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What are you doing?" she asked, not even opening her eyes as she heard him moving about. She felt relaxed in ways she couldn't even begin to describe and sleep was certainly calling her name after getting changed into some fresh pajamas and getting all comfortable in her bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nothing, go to sleep," Angel replied, covering himself up and trying to get in a good position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know, I've watched scary movies and a number of crime shows that I think scared me way more than any horror flick could over the past two years. I did happen to survive even without you over here acting like my guard dog or whatever. I did okay on my own."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel closed his eyes. "But you don't have to be on your own anymore." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's heart started to thunder in her chest, butterflies swarming about in her stomach, and she forced her tired eyes open so she could glance over to where he was laid out on the carpet of her bedroom floor. "You better watch yourself, Angel. I'm going to start thinking you might like me or something."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mm, wouldn't want you getting any wrong impressions like that," he tossed back with a smirk playing on his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grabbing the closest stuffed animal her hands could easily grab, she chucked it at him, smiling triumphantly as it landed right in his face and bounced off to the side. "Well, you don't have to sleep on the floor you know, if you insist on being in here. There is a whole bed over here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head turned to the side and his eyebrow raised. "Because that sounds like such a smart idea."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well... maybe not smart, but a </span>
  <em>
    <span>fun </span>
  </em>
  <span>one," she teased. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go to sleep, Buffy," he chuckled. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was already turning dark before the gang even exited out of the park gate for their cars and Buffy had fallen asleep in the backseat about halfway back to the house. They had really pushed themselves in that last hour or so to get in as many games and rides in as possible and it'd about wore everyone out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joyce was already asleep so Angel sat their goodies for her on top of the kitchen table before putting everything else of his away. He was about to offer to carry Sleeping Beauty there up to her room but she'd woken up on one of their trips back and forth between the house and the car and had stumbled inside on her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey muttered he was going to go on to bed once they were all unpacked and Angel nodded as a yawn took control of him again. "Think I'm going to shower, change and get some damn sleep myself. See you in the morning."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or afternoon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or afternoon," Angel chuckled, waving him off as he headed for the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Entering his room, he locked the door behind him and slipped his wet shirt off as he crossed from his room to the bathroom. Knocking on the other door that led to Buffy's, he entered when she called out for him and shook his head at the image of her laid out in the middle of the bed, surrounded by all her many gift bags. "You look wore out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's head nodded. "That little power nap helped at least."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want me to put those somewhere else?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm, I was half tempted to just stretch my limbs out and make them going flying everywhere."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not sure you'd be as happy with that plan come morning," he smirked, carefully maneuvering around the bags to crawl over top of her, placing small kisses over her shoulder and up the back of her neck until she managed to flip over beneath him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She honestly wasn't even sure how he'd managed to convince her this was a good idea, but she was nearly certain somewhere along the last forty eight hours or so she'd completely lost the ability to tell him no. It was one thing to be naked in his bed, in the dark and under the covers, it was another thing entirely to be standing right in front of him with nothing to hide behind except the warm droplets of water raining down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come here," Angel whispered, pulling her to him, walking them back until her back was pressed hard against the cool tiles of the shower wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He probably should have just let her sleep, after all she was the one who had to get up and go to a job in the morning, but he was desperate to get his hands on her after the long day they had together. This whole secrecy thing kept things interesting that was for sure, but he wasn't very fond of the whole "no touch" policy that came along with it. Not that they had done a great job following that rule, there were a few times he had to pull back, remind himself that as far as everyone else was concerned this was all just pretend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His fingertips danced around her hips leaving tiny goosebumps in their wake as he slowly guided her arms around him. "Don't be nervous," he sighed, leaning down just enough to touch his lips to her perfect pout. "It's just me." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grinned up at him before her eyes looked away, "Hence the nerves," she laughed burying her face against him. Maybe it was the exhaustion but everything from the last few days was feeling like such a dream, she'd had plenty of childhood fantasies about this man, and so far real life was beating out every single one of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have I lived up to your expectations," he couldn't help but tease, practically having read her mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her teeth rolled over her lip, shooting a glare his way, trying to hide her smile. The guys had always given her hell about crushing on him, but he'd never acknowledged it, at least not in front of her, she used to tell herself it was because he didn't want to embarrass her, but now she wasn't so sure there hadn't been some denial brewing on both their parts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm, </span>
  <em>
    <span>welllll</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she drawled, playfully guiding him back to her lips, the nervousness she'd been feeling slowly dissipating, being quickly replaced by that fire only he seemed to know how to ignite. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I was</span>
  </em>
  <span> pretty young back then. I'm not so sure my innocent mind was even capable of dreaming up the things we've done," she paused, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span> I definitely thought about these," she smirked, standing on her tiptoes letting herself get lost in him for a few more moments. She spent years fantasizing about what it might be like to actually kiss him, to push back her fears and just go for it. Then when she finally had and he up and disappeared she spent countless hours lost in that memory, replaying every detail hoping beyond hope that she would never forget a second of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt his manhood slowly stirring back to life between them, her brother had interrupted before she'd even had the chance to touch him this morning, and all day long she found her mind drifting back to thoughts of how his silky flesh felt between her fingers, in her palm, how he tasted in the back of throat. Near gasping she finally managed to break away, those nerves she'd been so worried about suddenly gone and in their place the overwhelming urge to touch him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Releasing her hold around him, her fingers followed the small drops of water, chasing them down the sides of his neck, past his smooth chest. slowing as they reached the soft expanse of his abdomen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down, watching as she teased, her fingertips just barely grazing his rigid flesh. "A-Angel," she asked, daring to glance back up, "Is this normal?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed hard, trying to his damndest to focus on the words coming out of her mouth and not the fact that her soft hands were circling him in that way he'd been craving all day. "Is what normal," he eventually managed, his voice far huskier than he intended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She loved when he sounded like that, like he'd been up all night, his voice strained and full of sleep. This was a side of him that was all brand new, a side that not only had she never seen before, but one that she liked to think belonged solely to her, to them. He may be her brothers life long best friend, but it was nice to know that there were still a few parts of him she got to claim as her own. "Feeling like this…" she trailed off, not quite sure how to put what all she was feeling into words without making herself sound like some love sick school girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like I know we're just getting to know each again, and I know we've only just begun trying to figure out whatever this is between us…" She paused meeting eyes again as she tried to gage if her rambling was making any sense at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go on," he nudged, lightly tracing his nose against hers. He had an idea what she was getting at, but more than anything he wanted to hear it from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care about you," she finally blurted, "Probably a lot more than I should," she warned. Then not even giving him time to react she went back to nibbling against his lips, lightly teasing him with the soft tip of her tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn't take long for those soft kisses to turn more needy. "You have no idea," he mumbled, tearing away from her just long enough to begin a new journey of discovery, tasting every expanse of flesh within his reach, slowing when he grazed against the perfect slope of her neck, the last thing they needed was him to leave some visible reminder on her unblemished skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands abandoning her, he braced them above over, as she continued to work his neglected cock, he may have had parade of women in an out of his bed over the years, but one thing was for sure, not a single one had ever made him feel like this, been able to ignite that flame within him that she seemed capable of turning into a inferno with only a glance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've never felt like this either," he confessed, his hips beginning to move on their own accord as she tightened her hold on him, using both hands again just like she had last night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed the distance between them, gone were all those thoughts of embarrassment, of worry, when he looked at her that way, when she saw that dark look in his eyes it put a swell of confidence inside of her she was sure she would have never otherwise known. He made her feel wanted beyond anything she had even imagined, she felt powerful when it came to him, sexy. And it wasn't ever as though she wasn't aware of her looks or that guys had been attracted to her many times throughout her years but there was something to be said about the one guy you've been hung up on almost of your life looking at you like he wanted nothing more than to devour you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like some perfect secret between them to know he wanted her, too. To see how his body reacted to her, how his eyes would darken at just the perfect moments, to know that she, Little Buffy Summers, could get him off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the world seemed to always disappear when it was just the two of them and it felt like she could just float on that feeling until the end of days. "Never?" she questioned in a husky tone of her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's eyes fought to not roll back completely into his head, his fingertips almost ready to curl up and claw at the wall, as Buffy's hands moved against him. His lips finding their way to hers, he nipped and teased at her, "I think you're a little too good at this," he mumbled which only made her smile grow. "And no," he promised, "no one has ever made me feel like this before, no where close to how you do. Not about matters of the bedroom sort of speak nor beyond that." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Allowing her a few more moments to drive him absolutely wild, he reluctantly eased her hands off of him. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Buffy pouted. "I was not done with what I was doing there." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel cracked a smile at her before tugging on her hand again, pulling her closer to the warm spray of water falling down. His eyes couldn't seem to stop staring at the sight Buffy standing before him created, his mind trying to grasp at any and all straws to remind himself why he couldn't just lift her up, have her strong thighs wrap around him, guide his angry cock to her center and just take her as his own right here and now.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swallowing hard, he kept his eyes on her as her head tilted back slightly to wet her hair a bit more, his hand reaching out to the side to grab her shampoo off of one of the small built in shelves inside the shower so he wouldn't make the fantasy playing out in his head become reality after all. Starting with her hair, he lathered her long blonde locks up slowly and helped massage her scalp and wash it all out again before moving on to her body wash, taking his time exploring her body with his soapy hands.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the while Angel continued to assure her whatever was going on here was as real to him as it was to him. He didn't know if what was happening here was supposed to be normal or not, if this was how you were supposed to feel, but he knew he didn't want any of it to come to an end anytime soon. Sneaking around was far from ideal but he needed time to figure the rest out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hard to explain the need he had inside of him whenever he saw her, ever since returning home, it was almost like some magnetic force when they were alone like this and as of late even when they were out and about in public, he just wanted to be near her, he wanted to touch her... it was a craving beyond anything he'd ever dealt with before. He'd been interested in plenty of females in his time, he'd enjoyed sex as much as the next person, but even a slight brush of her hand against him would set him on fire it seemed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was also the fact that Buffy had never done anything like this with anyone else which only made it harder to keep himself in check and not completely rush everything with her. On one hand he loved drawing everything out, the teasing her until there was just no other choice but to take things to the next level, slowly memorizing her every inch, the endless thrills that he found coming from watching her learn her own body along with his... but on the other it felt like torture at times, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beyond the physical, Angel found himself endlessly drawn to her like never before in countless ways. He would find himself hanging on her every word, wanting to know absolutely everything he had missed out in the past two years, if he found something funny he would find himself looking around until he spotted her to see if she would crack a smile as well. He was enchanted with every laugh that fell from those lips, as if he had never heard such a sound before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had always been at ease talking to Buffy, swapping stories, cracking jokes, small talk and everything else... but there was no denying some sort of new heaviness to it all now. There was certainly a change from being around Buffy in years past to this weekend, he especially felt that when they were on their own back at the theme park for those far too short hours. Looking at her as his was a whole new world, looking at her as Buffy as her own person rather than just his friend or younger sister of his best friend opened everything up to him to see her in all new ways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just wanted to be close to her and with their situation of who he was and who she was it was making that incredibly difficult. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was damn near impossible to get away with much in a small town like this, let alone when it was something as high profile as the two of them. Everyone knew who they were in Sunnydale, probably the whole county, and across several others if you really thought about it. His mind screamed how badly he wanted everything with her... the endless public displays of affection, being able to just kiss her or hold her without worrying a fist would fly into his face, everyone knowing they were together, taking Buffy out on dates, surprising her at work for lunch or just sending her flowers, taking photos together everywhere they went and posting them on social media to make everyone jealous of how adorable they were... all of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't want to rob her of a real relationship and all that went with it either, but they just hadn't figured that much out at this point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking the shower head off of its perch, Angel lowered it to help wash off some of the new traces of soap and bubbles, everything creating a nice little collective swirl at the bottom of the tub before washing completely away down the small holes to the drain until she was all clean again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reaching a hand out of the shower he grabbed a couple towels for them just as she turned the water off, taking the shower head from his hands she stretched up against him, standing on her tiptoes so she could place it back in its holder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Securing one of the fluffy white towels around her, he did his best to tie the other around his own waist. Stepping out the shower, Buffy walked off into her room for a few minutes before reappearing wearing the most delectable little nightie he'd ever seen. Lindsey was right, he himself wasn't sure that she owned anything remotely decent, not that he really had any complaints, not when they were alone anyways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could feel those dark eyes of his burning holes into her with every move she made. Quickly running the dryer through her hair, she watched out the corner of her eye as he ditched the towel for a pair of boxers. She still wasn't sure how she'd gotten so lucky, setting the blow dryer aside, she jumped startled as his strong arms enveloped her, pulling her hard against his damp body. He nuzzled her ear, completely aware but trying his best to ignore how fucking starved he was for her touch after spending so much of the day keeping his hands to himself. "You want me to get your bed cleared off?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her a little, "Don't need to." In order to be up and ready for work she would have to get up far earlier than anyone else in this house. She saw no reason why she couldn't just stay cuddled up with him until the time came. It was bad enough she had to work a double, she probably wouldn't even be getting off work until this time tomorrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked, "Is that so," he questioned, already guiding her back towards his room. She was working at some new sports bar over by the mall, she'd mentioned having to open tomorrow, and he already felt the hours of the night picking up speed, before they knew it, it was going to be morning and the thought of not seeing her all day was already bothering him more than he cared to admit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Most definitely," she grinned turning in his arms, pushing him back onto the bed, quickly crawling over him, her thighs spreading easily, she settled above him in the absolutely most perfect way. He lifted his hips just enough to press against her warm center, the thin material of her flimsy excuse for panties doing little to stave off the feel of him. She found herself becoming rather obsessed with the feel of him, between her fingers, on her tongue, pressed up against her just how he was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her nimble fingers braced against his chest just as her eyes fell closed, rocking back against him, she let herself get lost teasing him for a few moments. She was well aware of the fact that he'd had sex before, though that fact alone didn't really bother her, it ate her to know that there were other girls, women, out there who knew him in ways that she didn't. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A-Angel," his eyes fluttered open at the sound of his name falling from her perfect lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched a blush creep over her cheeks as he held her gaze, the silence hung thick in the air around them as he waited for her to continue. His heart thundered in his chest, this girl had absolutely no idea the power she held over him. Gripping her waist, he flipped them over so that she was trapped beneath him, a position he already knew he would never tire of, not with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it," he pressed, nudging her head to the side so he could leave a trail of warm kisses up the side of her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm," she groaned, turning to capture his lips one more time. Despite everything they had experienced together, how comfortable she felt with him, it still felt a little weird actually bringing the subject up. "Does-Does it hurt?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt all the air leave his lungs, as his brain registered just what she was asking. His cock twitched between them, already stretching, seeking the warmth she dared to ask about. "I'm not sure," he mumbled, brushing his lips back against hers. "I've never… I mean I haven't… I've never been someone's first," he finally managed. His brain was a jumbled mess even contemplating the possibility, there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her in that way, and every other, but the idea of it actually happening caused a tsunami of emotions to flood him all at once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," she breathed out in that soft little tone he loved so much. "Well that's okay, I mean I'm sure there's nothing to it right? Were you scared your first time?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just smirked in response, she was too fucking cute when she started to ramble. He cleared his throat a little, "I don't think it's the same for guys." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face was on fire, it was at times like these that she wanted to kick herself for having such a big mouth. "Right, I know, but still even if you don't have to experience the pain parts of it, the notion of literally sharing your body with someone is kind of a scary thought don't ya think?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a light groan, "Come here," he muttered, forcing himself to roll to her side, he ignored her protest, pulling her to him, wrapping her in his arms as best he could manage. Tucking a couple stray hairs back behind her ear, he gently kissed her forehead. "I don’t think it's a secret how much I want you Buffy, and even knowing that it's wrong doesn't stop this overwhelming need I feel to hold you, to be close to you. I want to make love to you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head shook against hers, "You have no idea how badly I want to be inside you, to experience that with you. BUT," he swallowed, trying to garner the courage to finish where he was trying to go with this. "I don't just want to be your first, I want to be your only. I want to get so lost inside you that neither of us is sure where one ends and the other begins, I want to know what it feels like to make you come surrounding me, I want to see those beautiful green orbs of yours sparkling and full of passion, I want to know exactly how to touch you, exactly what you crave, but I don't want to rush it. I don't want you to think that we have to have sex just because that's the obvious next step, I want you," he reiterated, "But more than that I want you to be sure. I couldn't stand it if we let something more happen here and you grew to regret it one day… We'll get there," he promised quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart squeezed in her chest, she wasn't sure she'd ever loved him more than in that moment. Not that she would admit those words out loud just yet. It wasn't exactly a surprise to anyone who had ever met her, her feelings were pretty much public knowledge at this point and had been most of her life, but when she was to actually tell him how she felt, to say those words out loud and to his face... to put herself completely out there like that... she wanted it to be at the right time, the perfect time. "This all feels like a dream sometimes," she whispered instead. "Like... it's all just too good to really be true and I fear so much that I am going to wake up any minute now. I mean, I'm laying in the same bed as you of all people and you're over here telling me that you want me of all people... in all the ways that I have wished on every falling star for, on every birthday candle... and beyond. It's a little wild."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Angel's lips turned up slightly. "Well, given how many endless nights that I spent laying in bed imagining you beside me or replaying that first kiss... I can't argue with you there. I don't know what I thought would really happen when I finally did come back here but this blows any and all fantasizes or daydreams or thoughts that I had about you completely out of the water."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's bottom lip got caught against her teeth for a moment. "Okay, well, I will probably ask this again and again... but... you're really... in this with me? Are you sure?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's lips easily found hers once more. "One hundred percent, I am yours. It's not exactly starting off as a normal relationship but I'm okay with that. I will shout my feelings from every rooftop once I can and show you off to every damn person I see. I want everything with you, Buffy. I just want to do all of it right. Telling Lindsey or your mom, our dumbass friends, moving this to the next level... then the one after that... and the one after that... I don't want to mess this up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't like having to worry about my brother or worrying who will think what, see what, trying to remind myself we can't just hold hands or kiss or whatever whenever we want but I do like when it's just us like this and the rest of the world is off minding their own business and I can just be with you and... do whatever I want with you..." she smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy groaned as she heard her alarm on her cell phone going off, sleep still wanting to claim her, the warm bed she was in a little too comfortable, the body spooned up against her nothing short of heaven as far as she was concerned. Angel made a noise from behind her, his arms pulling her closer somehow, his face burying deeper against the crook of her shoulder and in her messy locks of hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing her eyes, she ignored the need to get up a little longer, her fingertips dancing along his heavy arm holding her, her hips rolling her ass against his lap, feeling him slowly coming more to life behind her. Not wanting to slip her soaking wet panties back on, or make the trip back to her own room, she'd simply discarded wearing any which made such movements seem dangerously close to pushing some of the lines they had agreed they were not yet ready to cross. Feeling him so intimately close to her made it a little too easy to forget any and all of those reasons, the idea seemed daunting but Lord did his body call to her. She was pretty sure she would never get tired of how any of this felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy let out a small gasp as she felt a hand was suddenly cupping her breast, a thumb starting to tease her nipple until she felt that familiar tingle starting to make an appearance between her legs. Her ass pressed harder against him, another gasp coming from her when she felt his dick twitching against her, feeling perfectly where his boxers ended and his flesh began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you have to go in to work today?" she heard Angel's rough voice ask. "Or ever? Or go anywhere that is away from me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuckling, she mentally debated the idea of just chancing calling in sick or something, on to never even getting out of this damn bed ever again. "Well, as much as I would rather be spending my day in bed with you... I sadly do have to adult sometimes," she groaned out. "Bringing in some extra cash saves everyone some sanity around here. Besides, I feel after yesterday and after last night... the two of us being together in this house, with my brother and who knows who else, I'm pretty sure we'd have a hell of a time surviving keeping our distance and all hell just might break loose."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made another annoyed grunt about that. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a hell of a time surviving the day not seeing you," he countered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That didn't seem any better, true. She was pretty sure this was bound to be one of the longest days she'd ever experienced.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was already turning dark before the gang even exited out of the park gate for their cars and Buffy had fallen asleep in the backseat about halfway back to the house. They had really pushed themselves in that last hour or so to get in as many games and rides in as possible and it'd about wore everyone out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joyce was already asleep so Angel sat their goodies for her on top of the kitchen table before putting everything else of his away. He was about to offer to carry Sleeping Beauty there up to her room but she'd woken up on one of their trips back and forth between the house and the car and had stumbled inside on her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey muttered he was going to go on to bed once they were all unpacked and Angel nodded as a yawn took control of him again. "Think I'm going to shower, change and get some damn sleep myself. See you in the morning."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or afternoon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Or afternoon," Angel chuckled, waving him off as he headed for the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Entering his room, he locked the door behind him and slipped his wet shirt off as he crossed from his room to the bathroom. Knocking on the other door that led to Buffy's, he entered when she called out for him and shook his head at the image of her laid out in the middle of the bed, surrounded by all her many gift bags. "You look wore out."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's head nodded. "That little power nap helped at least."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You want me to put those somewhere else?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm, I was half tempted to just stretch my limbs out and make them going flying everywhere."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not sure you'd be as happy with that plan come morning," he smirked, carefully maneuvering around the bags to crawl over top of her, placing small kisses over her shoulder and up the back of her neck until she managed to flip over beneath him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She honestly wasn't even sure how he'd managed to convince her this was a good idea, but she was nearly certain somewhere along the last forty eight hours or so she'd completely lost the ability to tell him no. It was one thing to be naked in his bed, in the dark and under the covers, it was another thing entirely to be standing right in front of him with nothing to hide behind except the warm droplets of water raining down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Come here," Angel whispered, pulling her to him, walking them back until her back was pressed hard against the cool tiles of the shower wall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He probably should have just let her sleep, after all she was the one who had to get up and go to a job in the morning, but he was desperate to get his hands on her after the long day they had together. This whole secrecy thing kept things interesting that was for sure, but he wasn't very fond of the whole "no touch" policy that came along with it. Not that they had done a great job following that rule, there were a few times he had to pull back, remind himself that as far as everyone else was concerned this was all just pretend. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His fingertips danced around her hips leaving tiny goosebumps in their wake as he slowly guided her arms around him. "Don't be nervous," he sighed, leaning down just enough to touch his lips to her perfect pout. "It's just me." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grinned up at him before her eyes looked away, "Hence the nerves," she laughed burying her face against him. Maybe it was the exhaustion but everything from the last few days was feeling like such a dream, she'd had plenty of childhood fantasies about this man, and so far real life was beating out every single one of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Have I lived up to your expectations," he couldn't help but tease, practically having read her mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her teeth rolled over her lip, shooting a glare his way, trying to hide her smile. The guys had always given her hell about crushing on him, but he'd never acknowledged it, at least not in front of her, she used to tell herself it was because he didn't want to embarrass her, but now she wasn't so sure there hadn't been some denial brewing on both their parts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm, </span>
  <em>
    <span>welllll</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she drawled, playfully guiding him back to her lips, the nervousness she'd been feeling slowly dissipating, being quickly replaced by that fire only he seemed to know how to ignite. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>I was</span>
  </em>
  <span> pretty young back then. I'm not so sure my innocent mind was even capable of dreaming up the things we've done," she paused, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>But</span>
  </em>
  <span> I definitely thought about these," she smirked, standing on her tiptoes letting herself get lost in him for a few more moments. She spent years fantasizing about what it might be like to actually kiss him, to push back her fears and just go for it. Then when she finally had and he up and disappeared she spent countless hours lost in that memory, replaying every detail hoping beyond hope that she would never forget a second of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt his manhood slowly stirring back to life between them, her brother had interrupted before she'd even had the chance to touch him this morning, and all day long she found her mind drifting back to thoughts of how his silky flesh felt between her fingers, in her palm, how he tasted in the back of throat. Near gasping she finally managed to break away, those nerves she'd been so worried about suddenly gone and in their place the overwhelming urge to touch him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Releasing her hold around him, her fingers followed the small drops of water, chasing them down the sides of his neck, past his smooth chest. slowing as they reached the soft expanse of his abdomen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down, watching as she teased, her fingertips just barely grazing his rigid flesh. "A-Angel," she asked, daring to glance back up, "Is this normal?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed hard, trying to his damndest to focus on the words coming out of her mouth and not the fact that her soft hands were circling him in that way he'd been craving all day. "Is what normal," he eventually managed, his voice far huskier than he intended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She loved when he sounded like that, like he'd been up all night, his voice strained and full of sleep. This was a side of him that was all brand new, a side that not only had she never seen before, but one that she liked to think belonged solely to her, to them. He may be her brothers life long best friend, but it was nice to know that there were still a few parts of him she got to claim as her own. "Feeling like this…" she trailed off, not quite sure how to put what all she was feeling into words without making herself sound like some love sick school girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like I know we're just getting to know each again, and I know we've only just begun trying to figure out whatever this is between us…" She paused meeting eyes again as she tried to gage if her rambling was making any sense at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Go on," he nudged, lightly tracing his nose against hers. He had an idea what she was getting at, but more than anything he wanted to hear it from her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I care about you," she finally blurted, "Probably a lot more than I should," she warned. Then not even giving him time to react she went back to nibbling against his lips, lightly teasing him with the soft tip of her tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn't take long for those soft kisses to turn more needy. "You have no idea," he mumbled, tearing away from her just long enough to begin a new journey of discovery, tasting every expanse of flesh within his reach, slowing when he grazed against the perfect slope of her neck, the last thing they needed was him to leave some visible reminder on her unblemished skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His hands abandoning her, he braced them above over, as she continued to work his neglected cock, he may have had parade of women in an out of his bed over the years, but one thing was for sure, not a single one had ever made him feel like this, been able to ignite that flame within him that she seemed capable of turning into a inferno with only a glance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I've never felt like this either," he confessed, his hips beginning to move on their own accord as she tightened her hold on him, using both hands again just like she had last night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed the distance between them, gone were all those thoughts of embarrassment, of worry, when he looked at her that way, when she saw that dark look in his eyes it put a swell of confidence inside of her she was sure she would have never otherwise known. He made her feel wanted beyond anything she had even imagined, she felt powerful when it came to him, sexy. And it wasn't ever as though she wasn't aware of her looks or that guys had been attracted to her many times throughout her years but there was something to be said about the one guy you've been hung up on almost of your life looking at you like he wanted nothing more than to devour you. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It felt like some perfect secret between them to know he wanted her, too. To see how his body reacted to her, how his eyes would darken at just the perfect moments, to know that she, Little Buffy Summers, could get him off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the world seemed to always disappear when it was just the two of them and it felt like she could just float on that feeling until the end of days. "Never?" she questioned in a husky tone of her own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's eyes fought to not roll back completely into his head, his fingertips almost ready to curl up and claw at the wall, as Buffy's hands moved against him. His lips finding their way to hers, he nipped and teased at her, "I think you're a little too good at this," he mumbled which only made her smile grow. "And no," he promised, "no one has ever made me feel like this before, no where close to how you do. Not about matters of the bedroom sort of speak nor beyond that." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Allowing her a few more moments to drive him absolutely wild, he reluctantly eased her hands off of him. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Hey</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" Buffy pouted. "I was not done with what I was doing there." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel cracked a smile at her before tugging on her hand again, pulling her closer to the warm spray of water falling down. His eyes couldn't seem to stop staring at the sight Buffy standing before him created, his mind trying to grasp at any and all straws to remind himself why he couldn't just lift her up, have her strong thighs wrap around him, guide his angry cock to her center and just take her as his own right here and now.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swallowing hard, he kept his eyes on her as her head tilted back slightly to wet her hair a bit more, his hand reaching out to the side to grab her shampoo off of one of the small built in shelves inside the shower so he wouldn't make the fantasy playing out in his head become reality after all. Starting with her hair, he lathered her long blonde locks up slowly and helped massage her scalp and wash it all out again before moving on to her body wash, taking his time exploring her body with his soapy hands.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the while Angel continued to assure her whatever was going on here was as real to him as it was to him. He didn't know if what was happening here was supposed to be normal or not, if this was how you were supposed to feel, but he knew he didn't want any of it to come to an end anytime soon. Sneaking around was far from ideal but he needed time to figure the rest out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was hard to explain the need he had inside of him whenever he saw her, ever since returning home, it was almost like some magnetic force when they were alone like this and as of late even when they were out and about in public, he just wanted to be near her, he wanted to touch her... it was a craving beyond anything he'd ever dealt with before. He'd been interested in plenty of females in his time, he'd enjoyed sex as much as the next person, but even a slight brush of her hand against him would set him on fire it seemed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was also the fact that Buffy had never done anything like this with anyone else which only made it harder to keep himself in check and not completely rush everything with her. On one hand he loved drawing everything out, the teasing her until there was just no other choice but to take things to the next level, slowly memorizing her every inch, the endless thrills that he found coming from watching her learn her own body along with his... but on the other it felt like torture at times, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beyond the physical, Angel found himself endlessly drawn to her like never before in countless ways. He would find himself hanging on her every word, wanting to know absolutely everything he had missed out in the past two years, if he found something funny he would find himself looking around until he spotted her to see if she would crack a smile as well. He was enchanted with every laugh that fell from those lips, as if he had never heard such a sound before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had always been at ease talking to Buffy, swapping stories, cracking jokes, small talk and everything else... but there was no denying some sort of new heaviness to it all now. There was certainly a change from being around Buffy in years past to this weekend, he especially felt that when they were on their own back at the theme park for those far too short hours. Looking at her as his was a whole new world, looking at her as Buffy as her own person rather than just his friend or younger sister of his best friend opened everything up to him to see her in all new ways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just wanted to be close to her and with their situation of who he was and who she was it was making that incredibly difficult. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was damn near impossible to get away with much in a small town like this, let alone when it was something as high profile as the two of them. Everyone knew who they were in Sunnydale, probably the whole county, and across several others if you really thought about it. His mind screamed how badly he wanted everything with her... the endless public displays of affection, being able to just kiss her or hold her without worrying a fist would fly into his face, everyone knowing they were together, taking Buffy out on dates, surprising her at work for lunch or just sending her flowers, taking photos together everywhere they went and posting them on social media to make everyone jealous of how adorable they were... all of it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't want to rob her of a real relationship and all that went with it either, but they just hadn't figured that much out at this point. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking the shower head off of its perch, Angel lowered it to help wash off some of the new traces of soap and bubbles, everything creating a nice little collective swirl at the bottom of the tub before washing completely away down the small holes to the drain until she was all clean again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reaching a hand out of the shower he grabbed a couple towels for them just as she turned the water off, taking the shower head from his hands she stretched up against him, standing on her tiptoes so she could place it back in its holder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Securing one of the fluffy white towels around her, he did his best to tie the other around his own waist. Stepping out the shower, Buffy walked off into her room for a few minutes before reappearing wearing the most delectable little nightie he'd ever seen. Lindsey was right, he himself wasn't sure that she owned anything remotely decent, not that he really had any complaints, not when they were alone anyways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could feel those dark eyes of his burning holes into her with every move she made. Quickly running the dryer through her hair, she watched out the corner of her eye as he ditched the towel for a pair of boxers. She still wasn't sure how she'd gotten so lucky, setting the blow dryer aside, she jumped startled as his strong arms enveloped her, pulling her hard against his damp body. He nuzzled her ear, completely aware but trying his best to ignore how fucking starved he was for her touch after spending so much of the day keeping his hands to himself. "You want me to get your bed cleared off?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shook her a little, "Don't need to." In order to be up and ready for work she would have to get up far earlier than anyone else in this house. She saw no reason why she couldn't just stay cuddled up with him until the time came. It was bad enough she had to work a double, she probably wouldn't even be getting off work until this time tomorrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked, "Is that so," he questioned, already guiding her back towards his room. She was working at some new sports bar over by the mall, she'd mentioned having to open tomorrow, and he already felt the hours of the night picking up speed, before they knew it, it was going to be morning and the thought of not seeing her all day was already bothering him more than he cared to admit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Most definitely," she grinned turning in his arms, pushing him back onto the bed, quickly crawling over him, her thighs spreading easily, she settled above him in the absolutely most perfect way. He lifted his hips just enough to press against her warm center, the thin material of her flimsy excuse for panties doing little to stave off the feel of him. She found herself becoming rather obsessed with the feel of him, between her fingers, on her tongue, pressed up against her just how he was. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her nimble fingers braced against his chest just as her eyes fell closed, rocking back against him, she let herself get lost teasing him for a few moments. She was well aware of the fact that he'd had sex before, though that fact alone didn't really bother her, it ate her to know that there were other girls, women, out there who knew him in ways that she didn't. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A-Angel," his eyes fluttered open at the sound of his name falling from her perfect lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He watched a blush creep over her cheeks as he held her gaze, the silence hung thick in the air around them as he waited for her to continue. His heart thundered in his chest, this girl had absolutely no idea the power she held over him. Gripping her waist, he flipped them over so that she was trapped beneath him, a position he already knew he would never tire of, not with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What is it," he pressed, nudging her head to the side so he could leave a trail of warm kisses up the side of her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm," she groaned, turning to capture his lips one more time. Despite everything they had experienced together, how comfortable she felt with him, it still felt a little weird actually bringing the subject up. "Does-Does it hurt?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He felt all the air leave his lungs, as his brain registered just what she was asking. His cock twitched between them, already stretching, seeking the warmth she dared to ask about. "I'm not sure," he mumbled, brushing his lips back against hers. "I've never… I mean I haven't… I've never been someone's first," he finally managed. His brain was a jumbled mess even contemplating the possibility, there was no doubt in his mind that he wanted her in that way, and every other, but the idea of it actually happening caused a tsunami of emotions to flood him all at once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," she breathed out in that soft little tone he loved so much. "Well that's okay, I mean I'm sure there's nothing to it right? Were you scared your first time?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just smirked in response, she was too fucking cute when she started to ramble. He cleared his throat a little, "I don't think it's the same for guys." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face was on fire, it was at times like these that she wanted to kick herself for having such a big mouth. "Right, I know, but still even if you don't have to experience the pain parts of it, the notion of literally sharing your body with someone is kind of a scary thought don't ya think?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He let out a light groan, "Come here," he muttered, forcing himself to roll to her side, he ignored her protest, pulling her to him, wrapping her in his arms as best he could manage. Tucking a couple stray hairs back behind her ear, he gently kissed her forehead. "I don’t think it's a secret how much I want you Buffy, and even knowing that it's wrong doesn't stop this overwhelming need I feel to hold you, to be close to you. I want to make love to you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His head shook against hers, "You have no idea how badly I want to be inside you, to experience that with you. BUT," he swallowed, trying to garner the courage to finish where he was trying to go with this. "I don't just want to be your first, I want to be your only. I want to get so lost inside you that neither of us is sure where one ends and the other begins, I want to know what it feels like to make you come surrounding me, I want to see those beautiful green orbs of yours sparkling and full of passion, I want to know exactly how to touch you, exactly what you crave, but I don't want to rush it. I don't want you to think that we have to have sex just because that's the obvious next step, I want you," he reiterated, "But more than that I want you to be sure. I couldn't stand it if we let something more happen here and you grew to regret it one day… We'll get there," he promised quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart squeezed in her chest, she wasn't sure she'd ever loved him more than in that moment. Not that she would admit those words out loud just yet. It wasn't exactly a surprise to anyone who had ever met her, her feelings were pretty much public knowledge at this point and had been most of her life, but when she was to actually tell him how she felt, to say those words out loud and to his face... to put herself completely out there like that... she wanted it to be at the right time, the perfect time. "This all feels like a dream sometimes," she whispered instead. "Like... it's all just too good to really be true and I fear so much that I am going to wake up any minute now. I mean, I'm laying in the same bed as you of all people and you're over here telling me that you want me of all people... in all the ways that I have wished on every falling star for, on every birthday candle... and beyond. It's a little wild."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Angel's lips turned up slightly. "Well, given how many endless nights that I spent laying in bed imagining you beside me or replaying that first kiss... I can't argue with you there. I don't know what I thought would really happen when I finally did come back here but this blows any and all fantasizes or daydreams or thoughts that I had about you completely out of the water."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's bottom lip got caught against her teeth for a moment. "Okay, well, I will probably ask this again and again... but... you're really... in this with me? Are you sure?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's lips easily found hers once more. "One hundred percent, I am yours. It's not exactly starting off as a normal relationship but I'm okay with that. I will shout my feelings from every rooftop once I can and show you off to every damn person I see. I want everything with you, Buffy. I just want to do all of it right. Telling Lindsey or your mom, our dumbass friends, moving this to the next level... then the one after that... and the one after that... I don't want to mess this up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't like having to worry about my brother or worrying who will think what, see what, trying to remind myself we can't just hold hands or kiss or whatever whenever we want but I do like when it's just us like this and the rest of the world is off minding their own business and I can just be with you and... do whatever I want with you..." she smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy groaned as she heard her alarm on her cell phone going off, sleep still wanting to claim her, the warm bed she was in a little too comfortable, the body spooned up against her nothing short of heaven as far as she was concerned. Angel made a noise from behind her, his arms pulling her closer somehow, his face burying deeper against the crook of her shoulder and in her messy locks of hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing her eyes, she ignored the need to get up a little longer, her fingertips dancing along his heavy arm holding her, her hips rolling her ass against his lap, feeling him slowly coming more to life behind her. Not wanting to slip her soaking wet panties back on, or make the trip back to her own room, she'd simply discarded wearing any which made such movements seem dangerously close to pushing some of the lines they had agreed they were not yet ready to cross. Feeling him so intimately close to her made it a little too easy to forget any and all of those reasons, the idea seemed daunting but Lord did his body call to her. She was pretty sure she would never get tired of how any of this felt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy let out a small gasp as she felt a hand was suddenly cupping her breast, a thumb starting to tease her nipple until she felt that familiar tingle starting to make an appearance between her legs. Her ass pressed harder against him, another gasp coming from her when she felt his dick twitching against her, feeling perfectly where his boxers ended and his flesh began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you have to go in to work today?" she heard Angel's rough voice ask. "Or ever? Or go anywhere that is away from me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuckling, she mentally debated the idea of just chancing calling in sick or something, on to never even getting out of this damn bed ever again. "Well, as much as I would rather be spending my day in bed with you... I sadly do have to adult sometimes," she groaned out. "Bringing in some extra cash saves everyone some sanity around here. Besides, I feel after yesterday and after last night... the two of us being together in this house, with my brother and who knows who else, I'm pretty sure we'd have a hell of a time surviving keeping our distance and all hell just might break loose."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made another annoyed grunt about that. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a hell of a time surviving the day not seeing you," he countered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That didn't seem any better, true. She was pretty sure this was bound to be one of the longest days she'd ever experienced.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Angel yawned, his arm stretching across the otherwise empty bed, groaning as he was already missing a certain young blonde wrapped up against him. He yawned for the dozenth time and flipped back over to his backside, his eyes darting toward the door she'd disappeared off into earlier so she could get dressed for her day ahead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She mentioned she wouldn't even be back until late in the evening and he wondered if he could just sleep the day away until she returned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she finally appeared again, Angel felt like his jaw was about to hit the floor taking in the get up - or lack there of - she was sporting now. Obviously whatever this new sports bar she'd taken to working at was heavily influenced by some of the more famous ones out there in the rest of the world, beyond a little mom and pop town, and even in comparison made those uniforms seem a lot more decent all of a sudden. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting up, he cleared his throat. "Alright, now... please don't smack me upside the head or something... buuuut... does your brother know you're out there in the world wearing that and working in such a place?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy put a hand on her hip and stared him down for a moment. "Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well. No. I mean..</span>
  <em>
    <span>. I </span>
  </em>
  <span>certainly don't mind it... though I might be suddenly feeling a surge of jealousy over the idea of all who might have seen you walking around like that for however long and whoever will," he admitted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy blushed a little, fixing her hair up into a ponytail. "Aww, well... all of this is yours and yours alone," she teased. "It's just an outfit, it's just a job. And, not so surprising, one of my better paying ones I've had over the years."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He could definitely see why she made more at this place than all the others. It was a good thing she was leaving so early, he already knew there was no way Linds would let her leave the house without a fight. Silently he watched as she continued to get ready, he understood her wanting to work and earn her own cash flow but damn if it wasn't taking everything in him not to drag her back to bed right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sliding one leg across him, she straddled his waist, it was still so crazy to her how far they had come in such little time. This time last week she was stressing and going on with Willow about how nervous she was to see him after so long, and now she was waking up next to him, and kissing him goodbye before work. When she looked at him, she no longer saw Angel, her brother's best friend, she just saw him, and he was hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you have to go," he whispered as his fingers slipped beneath the hem of what she insisted were shorts biting into the exposed flesh. Half her damn ass hung out, he could only fucking imagine the kind of clientele she was serving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her arms looped around his neck, "Unfortunately," she sighed, "If I'm late or call in, I'd end up having to make it up to whoever covered for me this weekend." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His lips brushed against hers, he really wasn't sure how he was supposed to make it all damn day without her, he'd gotten spoiled this last weekend being around her near non-stop. "What time do you get off," he asked after forcing himself to pull away. There was no way in hell she was working next weekend, him and the guys had been throwing around the idea of driving down to Wesley's families beach house. His parents were visiting relatives in Europe this summer, so it was just sitting around vacant. It was a couple hours drive down south, but man was it worth it. Sure it was still California, but when it came to the beaches there was no comparison. He just had to figure out a way to convince Lindsey that she should tag along, though he didn't figure it would be too hard, under that tough boy exterior he knew he missed his sister. It was the sleeping arrangements he was worried about, he wasn't so sure how well them two turning in together would go over with everyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Probably not until ten or elevenish," she groaned, "But tomorrow won't be as bad, I'm only scheduled for the day shift, I should be back by three or four." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fear gnawed at him upon the realization of just how much he was going to fucking miss her. That old familiar guilt crept its way back, he was chancing everything here, his best friend, the only real family he had ever known, but most importantly he was risking her and that worried him the most. Buffy and Lindsey would fight unlike anything you'd ever seen, especially when they were younger no space between them was safe, but they loved each other, the last thing he ever wanted to do was cause problems between the two of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What," she asked, noticing those wheels behind his eyes had started to turn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head, "Nothing." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're a terrible liar." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked, he was actually an excellent liar, just not when it came to her. "I want to talk to Linds."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Confused her eyebrows rose and he smirked again, sometimes she was too adorable for her own good. Unable to resist, he softly brushed his lips against hers one more time. "About us," he clarified. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time her eyes went wide, "Oh." That blush that he was coming to love so much crawling over her cheeks. "I-I thought we were going to wait, see where things stood before we invited him or anyone else that may have an opinion in." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't that she didn't want everyone to know that they were together or whatever now, but she wasn't stupid. No matter how badly she wished otherwise, she just knew it wasn't going to be very well received, at least not at first. "We've been official for like a day," she pouted, "What about the whole we need to figure it out for us speech?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed, "I'm pretty sure I know how I feel about you Buffy." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart felt like it was doing flip flops inside of her chest, she had to force her lungs reminding herself of the need to breathe. "H-How's that?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed again, "Honestly," he settled back against the headboard a bit so that he could see her better. "I don't really know how to explain it except to say that I've never felt this way about anyone, ever. I think our past probably has something to do with it, I mean I've practically loved you since the day you were born, but now…" he trailed off. "It's different, I want everything with you. I want to hold you every night and wake up next to you every morning. I want to make love to your more than I've ever wanted anything in my entire life and that alone fucking terrifies me. I keep trying to look into the future and no matter which way I spin it, I can't make it stop coming back to you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tried her best to fight back the stream of tears threatening to fall, "I know the feeling," she managed despite the lump in her throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow she'd convinced him that they should hold off on telling her brother for a while longer. She made some valid points, everything between them was still very new, no matter the emotions already involved. Lindsey and probably everyone else would take them a lot more seriously once they were more established, but he knew Linds and he knew that he'd only see it as a lie or a secret kept from him no matter which way they tried to explain it he was going to feel betrayed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You alright over there," Lindsey asked using his elbow to shove Angel who was riding in the passenger seat. The man had been set on sleeping the damn away but he'd drug him from bed with the promise of wings and beer. He'd been wanting to check out this new sports bar that had been built while they were at college, plus his mother may or may not have mentioned this was where his sister was working and he definitely wanted to make his presence known now that they were back in town. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You really think this is a good idea," Angel asked. "You know Buffy's going to be pissed that you're checking in on her like this." He'd tried to convince him to go somewhere else, hell he'd tried to stay in bed and sleep the damn day away but Lindsey wasn't having it, and when he mentioned Buffy's place of employment he knew he couldn't let him go alone. Plus it would give him the perfect opportunity to surprise her, even if it wasn't under the best of circumstances. But like she said, if there was one thing she could handle it was her brother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey waved his arm, "She'll get over it, besides Mom said Riley Finn's been hanging around there trying to be all 'buddy buddy' with dear ol' sister so maybe we can figure out what the hell he seems to think that's all about. And correct his dumbass in the process."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess that sounds like a plan," Angel half mumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything seemed to moving in slow motion, Buffy's head turned toward the door after refiling some drinks at a table in her area. At first she only seemed to focus on Angel, a little smile tugging at the corner of her lips at the mere sight of him. It'd been hard to focus on anything other than thoughts, memories, daydreams of him the entire time since getting here. A big part of her truthfully had been hoping that he would just show up and surprise her, making the day a little less of a drag... but she couldn't believe it actually coming to pass. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was just starting to take her first few steps in his direction, locking eyes, curious as to the strange look he was shooting back to her... when Lindsey moved to the side of his best friend and came into view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh shit," she muttered out loud, her eyes moving from being locked with Angel's to catching her brothers', Rolling her eyes at the look that took him over, she hurried over to him before he started screaming across the room at her and causing some way too embarrassing scene. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just what in the blue unholy hell do you think you're doing walkin' around lookin' like that?" Lindsey still said much more louder than he needed to as she got closer to the two of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy took an angry step and pointed a finger at him. "Just what in the blue unholy hell do you think you're doing walkin' up in here and acting like you have any right to come at me over anything in the way I look, what I'm wearing, where I work, or, well, anything else under the sun?" she shot back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am your brother and excuse me if I take issue with my little sister runnin' around looking like she's a damn-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would be real careful about whatever words you want to come out of your face next," she warned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, obviously I don't even have to say the words as you know exactly where I was going with it," he chimed in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's just an outfit, a uniform for a damn restaurant, there's nothing unsightly showing... should I go on?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, actually, you should. Because it don't take a scientist to know there's an issue with what you're wearing-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really? You going to go complain about the other girls walking around, or just me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just you!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh huh."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, none of them are MY little sister. I take an issue with MY little sister runnin' around barely covered up in front of who knows who. That's dangerous, you do serve alcohol here..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy breathed out her nose as she tried to just let him ramble on for a few moments before she couldn't deal with it any longer. "Listen, asshole," she whispered, "I have a job to do. A very stable, good paying job, where I actually like my co-workers and my boss isn't a full fledged asshole every second of the day. Unlike you. You can take issue with it all you want but that's just what it is. I am an adult, like or not, and this is my job which helps our damn mother with paying her bills I might add. You don't have to like it, but I suggest you just get over it because there's not much you can do. Not to mention, dear brother, everyone in the whole damn state it feels like knows who I am, knows who you are, so it's not like I have anything to worry about anyway!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she was spinning on her heels to stalk back off, she heard him muttering how there were plenty of things he could in fact do, that he could get a job here was one of the last things she barely made out, rolling her eyes again. She put on a fake smile as she checked in a couple of her tables before getting to the back to take a moment to herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew eventually Lindsey would know all of this, details about where she worked and all, but she wasn't prepared for it to be today really. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew she really wouldn't be that surprised if he did badger her or the whole place until she had no choice but to leave though. Or if he didn't just start working somewhere to keep an eye on her. She knew he meant well, most of the time anyway, but goodness sake... he could be heavy handed with the best of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Does Mom know you're off lookin' like that?" Lindsey asked, not looking her way, his eyes trained on the menu before him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy let out a deep breath, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his nonsense yet again. "Yes, she does. She compliments me and tells me I look beautiful in my uniform quite often. It's nice!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh huh," he muttered. "What do you think, Angel?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's eyes widened a bit, looking from her brother over to Angel and feeling the hint of a blush creeping across her cheeks. "Uhhh..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you know how many creepy ass guys will come in here just to stare at you inappropriately?" Lindsey asked, his eyes fluttering to her then back to the menu. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like what you probably planned to do?" she shot back. "And I am sure you have done at plenty of Hooter's and wherever else's. But it's all okay then, right? Because it's not me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Exactly," Lindsey said smugly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whatever. No one's coming in here bothering the piss out of me or anyone else, Lindsey. No one is really just googly eyeing my ass all day long."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I am very certain that they are," Angel finally spoke again and she felt her blush deepening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"See?" Lindsey said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, my God. Do we really have to do this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you really have to work here?" he snapped back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I don't, but once again I am choosing to and I enjoy it so I am."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey slightly shook his head before finally making his order. "We can discuss that later, at home."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's fingers clenched around her pen and it took all she had not to reach her arm out and smack him right then and there. "There is not a damn thing we need to discuss about this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh huh."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I swear to God I am going to hurt you before you leave here." She angrily took the menu from him before sweetly asking Angel about his own order and trying not to let Lindsey completely ruin her chance to at least see Angel after all. He mouthed his apologies to her when Lindsey was busy trying to ignore her and she was sure he probably did his best to steer Lindsey away from coming here but the man was as stubborn as a damn mule. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Needing another few minutes to get herself together, she took her time getting their orders in. In all honesty she'd played the scenario of her dear brother finding out about the place of her employment over in her head more than a few times, to his credit he was handling it rather well considering, but she knew it wasn't a subject he was going to let die either. She just hoped that he kept it together and didn't start an all out war when she got home tonight. As she already told him, her place of employment wasn't up for discussion, at least not with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel on the other hand was a different story, if his reaction had been worse this morning, if she could tell that he really wasn't comfortable with her working here then she would probably entertain the idea of finding somewhere else to work. Though thankfully he hadn't seemed too bothered by the idea, a little jealous maybe, but that wasn't always necessarily  a bad thing. Seeing Angel all jealous and protective made her heart do that little flutter thing she wasn't sure she would ever get used to, not to mention she totally found it kind of hot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>oOoOo</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully Linds hadn't put up too much more of a fuss once she returned, in fact he'd been so busy not looking at her she'd taken the opportunity to scoot just a little closer to Angel. Her bare leg pressed up against him, she couldn't help but grin as he choked on a sip of his beer. Glancing at her brother, who seemed way too involved in his cheese fries, she forced the nervous swarm of butterflies she felt swirling around inside her away as she let her head fall against his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her lack of sleep over the weekend was definitely catching up to her, she wanted nothing more than to go home and crawl right back into his arms and crash for the next several hours. Watching the host approach, she let out a long sigh, apparently her short break was coming to an end. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey Buffy one of your regulars is at the bar looking for you." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her gaze following the direction Kara pointed, her eyes widened at the sight of Riley sitting at the bar, for a morning that started out so perfect it sure was turning into a shitty day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that Finn," Lindsey asked, just as Riley seemed to spot them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey now the least of his concerns, Angel noticeably draped his arm around her shoulders, "Regular, huh?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There something going on with you and Finn that I should know about," Lindsey asked, his eyes bouncing to Buffy's before returning to the stare down he was having with the little prick. Riley being a few years younger hadn't exactly ran in the same circle as him and the rest of the guys, but that didn't mean they hadn't crossed paths. Plus he'd heard plenty of stories, the dude was bad news as far as he was concerned. Their mother may be blinded by that pretty boy charm he had going, but he saw straight through that shit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy rolled her eye's, she just didn't see any way this was going to end well. "You're being ridiculous, Riley's just a friend." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"A friend huh, well let's see what he has to say about that." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy tried to stand, but Angel's grip tightened around her, clearly he was team Lindsey on this one. Reaching out she just managed to grab onto his sleeve as he stepped out of the booth, "Lindsey this is my job, and I swear to God if you get me fired I will never forgive you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As expected, Lindsey all but ignored her threats, quickly shaking his arm free as he continued to make his way over to the stool next to Riley. Letting out a long sigh, she turned to face her actual boyfriend, "He's just a customer," she tried to assure him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel had one hell of a poker face, but she saw that slight tick of his brow, plus she knew how much the thought of Riley hanging around bothered him. Which was exactly why she'd kept their relationship strictly professional since they got back. Yes Riley was kind of a creep, and yes he'd crossed the line with her a few years back, but he had apologized and they'd put that behind them, each of them chalking it up to too many booze and a night of bad decisions. It wasn't like they were best friends or anything, but over the years they had developed a friendship of sorts. Sunnydale was small, and it was impossible not to run into someone eventually, the way she looked at it the less awkward she could keep things the better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel took a long drink of the amber liquid, "I thought he was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span>." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Angel," she whispered, reaching up to turn his face back towards her. "I already told you, there's nothing going on between me and him." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like you," she added with a grin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Temporarily forgetting their surroundings, she leaned up to brush her lips against his in what she'd intended to be a quick peck. Though she should have known better 'cause as soon as she felt him against her everything else seemed to melt away, Lindsey, Riley, the whole damn place.  Nothing else seemed to matter as she got lost in the feelings only he was able to invoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently unable to deny her anything, he ignored all of the alarm bells going off inside his head. Pulling her even closer he slipped his tongue passed her lips just when she'd started to pull away. They were playing with fire, but Linds was preoccupied, and everyone else, well they could kiss his ass for all he cared. She was his, and he was already finding it harder than he ever imagined not to let each and every single person they crossed know such. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> "See," she told him, finally breaking away, her eyes fluttering open as reality began to once again settle around them. "Nothing to worry about." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slamming the door to her car, she tossed her apron and her little servers book onto the empty passenger seat. She wasn't sure how, but somehow she'd managed to survive the day with only minimal damage. Luckily Angel hadn't had the chance to get to Riley himself, because whatever her dear brother had said caused the poor boy to storm off without ordering a single beer. Her boss didn't seem too happy with her brother's antics, he hadn't said anything directly, but she'd not only gotten stuck with the worst lot of side work, she'd also had to roll an extra hundred and fifty silverware before she was allowed to leave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which was total bullshit, it was an unspoken rule that if you pulled a double you got to skip out on silverware but after Lindsey's little showdown she thought it best not to press her luck. Unfortunately all the extra work added a lot more time to the end of her day, she'd be lucky if she made it home by midnight, closing her eyes she said a quick prayer that Linds had already passed out. She really didn't have the patience to deal with him and his bullshit anymore today. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't as though she hadn't expected his reaction, but there was something inside of her that kept hope alive somehow that maybe, just once, he would realize he wasn't in control of everything. Maybe that he could just realize she was a grown adult now, too, and that she was capable of making her own choices. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She got his whole big brother routine, Hell, she even understood why all of his closest friends treated her the way they did, but at some point she wished it would just cool off some. It wasn't as though she didn't enjoy the attention growing up, or knowing she could pretty much do whatever she wanted - to a point - around here and that no one would mess with her, there was a freedom to it in that sense. But the older she got, the more she seemed to wish for, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted to be more than just Lindsey's little sister to the world. She wanted to seem like an actual person to him, not eternally a small child who needed him to protect her from the world. She wanted freedom to be make choices, wrong or right, to make mistakes, to not worry about everything she did because she didn't know how he would react.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And of course no matter how many times she would try and explain her feelings to him... well, talking to a brick wall would have made more sense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he and the boys left town she got some taste of what else she could be, but she just wished he could be more supportive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling up to the house, she noticed Lindsey's car gone, all of the lights off except for the one on the porch. Groaning, she lugged herself out of vehicle and started for the door, her body suddenly feeling the entire weight of today, her headache seeming to finally take hold of her that she'd been fighting off since Lindsey and Angel's little appearance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she usually did when coming home this late, she headed for the kitchen to find whatever small dish Joyce had left for her from dinner that she missed out on here, quickly warming everything up and not even bothering to sit to eat it, too afraid she might just pass out there at the table or something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once she was finished in there, she headed upstairs, quickly ridding herself of her uniform as she grabbed something more comfortable to change into, glancing to make sure her back up was ready to go for tomorrow there in the front of her closet. Satisfied enough, she threw her dirty clothes into the hamper as she walked into the bathroom. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Going ahead and starting the shower, she slipped a towel around herself quickly to go peek into Angel's room, smiling a little as she made out his sleeping form. He'd texted her several times through the day to check in but she'd still missed him, especially after the day she'd had to endure. It sure didn't help that this was the longest they'd even spent apart since his grand return to town.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Letting out a small sigh, she decided to head back into the bathroom and wash all the remains of the day off of her as quickly as she could. It wasn't a cure all, but she did feel a bit better once she was done, managing to stay in there until the water started to cool without dozing off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once ready for bed, she headed back to her room, making sure to lock all doors between her and Angel as she made her way back to him, pulling his comforter down at the corner and slipping in beside him. Angel woke up as she pushed her body as close to him as possible and struggled to lift his arm up so it was wrapped around her but once he got the hint, halfway waking up, he got the hint and she melted into him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn't sure how long they remained like that, mumbling little bits about the day, a few questions passed back and forth between them, but soon enough she was drifting off. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Buffy usually thought of herself a bit of a light sleeper but apparently that hadn't been the case at all last night, she couldn't remember a single thing from the point where she gripped just a bit tighter to Angel's tee shirt as she started falling completely under and waking up all turned around in his arms now, spooned up against him, feeling him pressed up against her in all the ways she had come to crave. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hips moved on their own accord, seeking more of his warmth, her eyes remaining closed as she was not ready to be that awake just yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey there, Beautiful," he whispered against her skin, peppering kisses along her shoulder. She mumbled some sort of greeting back to him and he chuckled. "I wasn't necessarily trying to wake you up here, you just looked too damn adorable. Mmm, and I missed you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She mumbled again. Feeling his hand slip just under her shirt to spread out against her stomach, she sleepily reached down, covering the top of his hand with her own, inching him upward until they were cupping one of her breasts together. "I missed you, too," she barely managed to get out before she was lightly moaning from his all too perfect touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry about yesterday... again. I really did try and keep Lindsey from barging in on you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No talking about him," she groaned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuckling again he agreed and continued to tease or torment her until she was a squirming with his every small movement against him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as she turned over enough to her back, Angel was above her, cradled between her thighs like it was exactly where he had always belonged. Her breath caught in her throat as she took him truly in for the first time this morning, unsure as to how this was real life still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unsure as to how in the hell one man could look this damn amazing first thing in the morning, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him back to her, smiling as his lips came crashing into hers like there was nothing he needed more on this planet than to be with her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small hissing sound came from between his lips as he felt Buffy's small fingers slowly start making their way down his body, palms sliding down his chest before dragging her fingernails down his stomach, lowering until she reached the small opening of his boxers and he felt her small hand brushing against him as she reached inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes fell to her face, taking in how she hungrily watched herself guide him out of the confines of the shorts and her fingertips lightly dancing up and down his length before doing their best to wrap around his member, her palm softly caressing him as she began to test out different movements, pressure, and speeds again as she worked him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Biting her bottom lip, green eyes lifted to meet his, an aura of confidence that he had yet to witness filled those bright orbs when a small groan that he just couldn't contain escaped. Her hand repeating the motion, his lips found hers at the same time his hips began to move in time with her strokes. Scooting down and out of her reach, he made sure that whatever protest she was about to give died in her throat, shoving her shirt, or rather his, out of the way his mouth immediately sought one of her pebbled peaks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her smooth skin glided beneath his fingertips, in that moment he wasn't sure he would ever grow tired of exploring her. Every curve, every freckle, he wanted to claim every single one, he wanted to make her his own. Which was exactly why he felt like that looming conversation needed to be had with her brother, and with Joyce, sooner rather than later. Slipping one of his thick digits inside her, he felt his own cock twitch when her inner walls rippled around him. She was so tight, so hot, and the knowledge that he had been the only one to experience her in such a way invoked feelings inside him he couldn't even begin to try and explain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd done a lot of thinking last night before he'd drifted off. He'd thought about her, about them, about how all this came to be, about how it even got started in the first place. He had spent so long denying his feelings, tearing himself apart, full of guilt, all because he knew, somewhere deep down he knew this girl held his heart. Maybe she hadn't always held it in the way that she currently did, but one way or another, her beautiful self had forever had him wrapped around her little finger. When they were younger it had all been innocent of course, but even then he could remember being drawn to her, wanting to protect her, and lord if she got upset or he had to witness her cry, it had always been game over and all the guys knew it, Lindsey included. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which was exactly why when that night she called him, clearly shaken and upset, rambling on about Riley, he hadn't thought twice about jumping in his car to go and pick her up. Then when he got there and put it all together, figured out just what had really been going on, he snapped. If it hadn't been for her throwing herself between them, for her yanking and pulling his arms, his shirt, everywhere she could grasp until he finally came back to reality and realized what was happening… Well, he would never know for sure, but if it hadn't been for her then he was fairly certain he would have killed the son of a bitch.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still to this day, just the mention of that boys’ name set his blood on fire. Yesterday had been a true testament to his willpower, though knowing Linds was there to deal with him had helped a little, but something told him that door hadn't been permanently closed just yet anyhow. His name falling from her lips pulled him from his thoughts, at some point her fingers had found their way to his hair, twisting and pulling, he grinned kissing the crevice of her thigh, it was more than obvious what she wanted, where she wanted him, and he had to admit his heart along with other things swelled at her boldness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nearly cried with relief when his mouth finally settled around her aching center. This was all she'd thought about ever since she crawled from his bed the day before, her crappy day at work had been made that much harder by images of him plaguing her mind. Her teeth clenched together so hard she briefly worried they may crack, her muscles coiled, she knew she was teetering on that edge again, that cliff he was so good at pushing her over. Her thighs clasped tightly around his head, she gasped, her own breath audible, in an attempt to fill her lungs with the oxygen in which they were starved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Please," she panted, not even sure what she was begging for, but knowing she couldn't hang on, not like this, not in this tortuous limbo. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>More than anything in this world he wanted to strip his boxers, climb back up her body, and fill her warmth until he couldn't tell where his own body ended and hers began. He wanted to show her what it felt like to be loved, to be worshipped, to be made love to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud pounding had him nearly jumping straight out of his skin, he would have laughed at the annoyed expression on her face, if his own mind wasn't currently playing out every single worse case scenario of what was about to happen. Before he even had time to react Buffy groaned loudly, "What do you want Lindsey?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door rattled against the frame as Lindsey tried once more to jiggle the handle, "Why the hell yall got all these damn doors locked," he grumbled from the other side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, Buffy glanced at the nightstand on the side of Angel's bed, "Oh.My.God. It's barely even nine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>go away</span>
  </em>
  <span>." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pale as a sheet, she watched Angel climb from the bed, she knew he was going for the door, reaching out, she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his boxers before he could move any further. Her eyes bounced from his own down to his very obvious arousal, "Trade me spots," she whispered. Slipping out the bed she grabbed the pajama bottoms she'd abandoned the night before, quickly slipping them on, she waited for Angel to get situated before swinging open the door so hard, it wouldn't have surprised him if it came right off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What," she all but growled at her brother's scowling form. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey's eyes slowly raked up and down his little sister's body then glanced behind her at Angel who still seemed half asleep, his face half buried in his pillow. "Don't you think you're getting a little old to be climbing in bed with him, I'm sure the last thing Angel wants to do is wake up to your ugly mug." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy glared for a second then immediately flipped her brother off before turning around and making her way back to warmth of said bed. Her shoulders shrugged, "We watched the new Rob Zombie film after I got home last night. Angel got scared, so I volunteered to keep him company." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that so," Lindsey half chuckled walking the rest of the way into the room. He was pretty sure Angel was about the only person he didn't have to worry about when it came to Buffy, hell if anything he knew if it ever came down to it, he was the one he could count on to be there for her, to protect her if there ever came a time when he couldn't. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he grabbed hold of her leg over the blanket and shook it. "Don't you have work this morning?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy grumbled, she did, and right now that was the last freaking thing she wanted to think about. What she wanted was for her dear brother to go trotting back down those stairs so her and Angel could continue what they were just doing moments ago and she could forget about, well, really anything else in the world besides the two of them and this bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wetness pooling in her underwear was vastly uncomfortable and the ache of being left unfinished and unfulfilled was damn near unbearable. Trying to get her mind off the tingling sensation overtaking her body still from how it felt to Angel's mouth on her, his hands all over her body, she shot Lindsey the dirtiest look she could muster. "You mean, surprisingly that I even still have my damn job after what you decided to pull yesterday?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And just what is that supposed to mean?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, she quickly started in ranting at him for his behavior yesterday, which only led to him arguing about how it wasn't somewhere she needed to be working at in the same place, and that only stopped when Angel damn near yelled at the both of them. Dropping his head back to the pillow after barking at the two of them, he closed his eyes and tried to bring some peace on the issue. "I don't think you want to spend the whole fucking summer being pissed off that Buffy's working at that damn bar and fighting every second of every day about it and fuck knows what else. Not saying like it, just... let her figure some of this shit out on her own," he threw out, pretending to be trying to fall back asleep afterward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey paused, but only for a moment. "You could work somewhere else. Simple solution."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And yet I choose to be there. Funny huh?" She shot right back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel let them go on for another few minutes before grabbing the top edge of the blanket and pulling it over his head to try and drown their shit out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giving up on the idea of Lindsey just letting anything go, or just leaving the damn room, Buffy sighed, feeling frustrated in more ways than one. As the minutes kept ticking by, so did all chances of her getting any quality time with Angel this morning and that was putting her in one hell of a foul mood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making sure to flip her brother off once more at his latest dig at her, she headed back to her own room after a quick stop in the bathroom. Sighing again, she started toward her closet, hoping her shift would pass by quickly but she already dreaded even going in this morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After cleaning herself up and getting ready for the day, Buffy found the boys had disappeared downstairs. She just peeked her head around the corner when she saw Lindsey toss something at Angel. "Here, I figured you could use these." It took her a moment to realize what they were and her eyes widened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel looked at the box of condoms then back at him. "Do I even want to know?" Angel asked, sitting them on the counter while he messed with the coffee maker for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, it just so happens I heard a little rumor last night that a certain old flame of yours was returning for the summer," Lindsey told him, hopping up on the end of the counter. "Apparently she is due in town today even. I went ahead and told Sheila that she, Darla, and whothefuckever else she wanted to invite for a small gathering would be more than welcome to swing by tonight, or whenever."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy knew she and Angel had discussed the blonde tramp before and he'd done a pretty good job of easing her fears about the woman... but it was a lot easier to push her out of her mind when she was off to who the hell cared rather than roaming the same streets as the rest of them. She couldn't help but feel her stomach drop a little with worry that he might up and change his mind, remembering what it was like to be with her, the newness of whatever they had going on not standing up to their history or whatever the case may be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel seemed to pause for the longest time. "I haven't even seen or heard anything from Darla in... shit, I don't even know how long," he finally spoke. "That ship has long since sailed, Lindsey. There's no future there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey shrugged. "Well, no shit, Angel. Obviously there was never bound to be wedding bells or some stupid shit like that with Darla but that don't mean you can't relive some glory days and have some damn fun." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think I'm good not heading down memory lane on that particular issue."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't see where the harm is. It's not like she even expects anything more to come from the two of you, pretty sure she never truly did. And it's not like you have someone to worry about being faithful to back at school. Shit, the whole past year it was like you had no interest really in anyone even. Pretty sure that's not good for your health." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel chuckled a bit at the face he was making before shrugging. "As I've told you many times over I'm fine. I was just focusing on other parts of my existence."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which, I still don't get, but fine. You did... and now you're on break from work and school and alllll those other things. What better time to just get wild and crazy? Whore yourself about? Have some damn, normal full bodied male fun out in the world?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your interest in my sex life is starting to get a little disturbing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your </span>
  <em>
    <span>lack of</span>
  </em>
  <span> a sex life," Lindsey corrected. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel was trying to think of something he could use to redirect Lindsey's attention away from this particular conversation when he happened to spot Buffy coming toward them out of the corner of his eye. Quickly swiping the condoms off from the counter and trying to hide them between the back of his jeans and tucked under his shirt, not wanting to make anything else uncomfortable as fuck right now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes hungrily drank her in, that little uniform she had leaving little to the imagination... feeling himself stirring back to life below the waist after so much work went into trying to clear his head from what he wished this morning had held in store for him rather than the rude awakening involving Lindsey. Even with him in the room and panic gripping at him, it hadn't really done much to help as long as she was there, still laying next to him, the taste of her dripping off his tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn't help but feel guiltier than ever, too, with Lindsey having been right there, with what they were just doing, and then him not being any the wiser. And knowing that he was utterly blind to the fact because of their own relationship, because of their past, because he trusted him... because Lindsey trusted him more than anyone, especially with his little sister... and he would never think him to do something to fuck that up... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And God, did that gut the holy hell out of him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy continued to shoot daggers towards her brother as she entered the room, though now she wasn't so sure that Angel shouldn't be on the receiving end of them as well. Apparently this day was just going to be one of the shit ones from the start. Avoiding the both of them she yanked the fridge door open and grabbed one of her little pre-made Starbucks drinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Want some toast with that caffeine," Lindsey snickered from his vantage point on top of the counter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shutting the fridge door, she took a deep breath while silently asking whatever higher power out there to give her the strength not to strangle either of the men standing behind her. Spinning on her heels, she glared at Linds once more, while making sure to not even give Angel the benefit of a glance. So he did try to shoot down the whole Darla thing, and maybe she was being a bit irrational, but her morning wasn't exactly starting out on the best foot here, and something told her the night wasn't going to end much better, especially if Darla fucking Pratt was hanging back around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel had done all that he could to convince Lindsey this was a bad idea, but it had all fallen on deaf ears. He was sure Linds really couldn't care less about whether or not Darla was there, but where Darla went Mia followed and no matter if he would admit or not there was no doubt in his mind he had always had a soft spot for that girl. It wasn't too serious or anything, they hadn't kept in contact over the years, not outside of Facebook anyway but still. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd managed to avoid Darla most of the night but he could only come up with so many excuses to leave the room. She'd been cordial for the most part, but now that Lindsey had broken the tequila out her advances were becoming a lot more bold. Linds caught him glancing at his watch for the countless time, "You expecting somebody else," he drawled from beside him as he poured them all another shot. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There that pang of guilt went again, he knew where Buffy was coming from, and he knew once Lindsey was on the up and up about them, they would more than likely have to face a whole new host of problems, but damn he couldn't help but think of all the ones it would fucking solve right now. Such as the half drunk blonde whose arms were once again latched around him, "Seems you've filled out since you've been gone," standing on her tiptoes she lowered her voice, her lips just grazing against the ear, "I wonder if that's the case everywhere." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nearly choked on the soda he'd just taken a sip of, sitting the glass down, he grabbed hold of Darla's arms to pry them off him just as another blonde came into view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, well, well, looks like little sister is all grown up," Darla nearly purred from beside him. Buffy was pretty sure the keys in her hand were going to leave permanent indentions, her fist coiled tight, it was taking everything in her not to bash the bitch over the head with the glass bottle on the counter in front of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey smirked, "It's nice to know some things never change." Buffy had never been Darla's biggest fan, hell no one was really a fan of Darla, well except for Angel and that little fascination usually ended once the sun came up, but his little sister had always had a special sort of hatred for the girl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel's eyes were as big as saucers, finally managing to pry Darla's fingers from around him, he rounded the corner of the large island, "How was work," he asked, sliding the shot Linds had poured for him her way. Between Darla and Lindsey he'd already been force fed more than he would like. As much as he tried to focus on anything besides the long assortment of minutes he had to get through before he could have her back in his arms again. Lindsey's little interruption this morning had left a lot to be desired, and as much as he tried to keep his own hormones in check he had been failing pretty fucking miserably, and every single time Darla touched him it made his stomach churn. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All he wanted to do was pull Buffy in his arms, drag her right up the stairs, and spend the rest of the night showing her exactly how he felt. Though judging from the steam rolling out of her ears he was going to have some groveling to do first. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," Lindsey yelled again. "What in the hell is this," he motioned to shot glass in her hand. "She's nineteen," he gritted out in Angel's direction. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel rolled his eyes, "Exactly." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sticking her tongue out at her brother, she quickly swallowed the clear liquid, and did everything in her power not to throw it back up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully Lindsey was all too willing to let her take off for her room, not only was she still in her work attire, she could almost see the burn he suffered when Angel had taken up for her. Her blood was still boiling though, taking off her shoes she tossed them in the corner, she had spent damn near the entire day imagining what was going on back at this house all day. Angel had sent her a few texts throughout her shift, but she hadn't even bothered in responding. It was just too much, too much to think about, too much to figure out, and entirely too much fucking Darla. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew that he hadn't exactly been seeing anyone while he was away, and they hadn't gotten very far intimacy wise considering. She didn't want to think that he would take Linds up on his suggestion, not with Darla at least, and hopefully not with anyone except her, but a little voice kept creeping into the back of her mind filling her with all sorts of doubts all over again. She could read Angel like a book and this morning after they had been so rudely interrupted she could see the guilt tearing away at him. How was she supposed to know that he wouldn't just decide all this sneaking around was too much, as nasty as she was, Darla was definitely the simpler choice between the two of them, the more experienced one too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stripping the rest of her clothes she climbed into the shower, turning the water temperature as hot as she could possibly stand it, she closed her eyes and stood under the spray for what seemed an impossibly long time. She could hear someone rummaging around in Angel's room on the other side of the wall, luckily she'd had the forethought to lock the bathroom doors. Not sure who it was, or who all it was, her thoughts once again went to the worst case scenario. Images of Angel and Darla rolling around in the bed they had been sharing flashed through mind, "He would never do that", she whispered to herself, trying desperately to shake any such thought back out of her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As it would turn out, that was a lot easier said than done, and the more she tried to distract herself the more it seemed those worries grew and new ones would arrive. When she couldn't seem to handle it anymore, Buffy finished out her shower, secured a towel around her still wet body, and with a shaking hand dared to reach for the handle leading to his room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peeking inside, the door made a loud squeaking noise which caught Angel's attention, her eyes meeting his just as she finished trying to make a quick look around the room in each direction. Finding him alone, she felt relief flood over her, but still she felt like she was this close to bursting out into tears over even the idea he'd be caught with that stupid blonde whore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had been spent the majority of her life chasing after Angel, begging whatever powers were out there in the universe to just let her have a chance, to let him see her as more than Lindsey's little sister, to see her in a way like she always did him... and it was crushing her to think she'd gotten a small glimpse of that just for it to be not enough and over already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," Angel softly called out as he stood up from his perch at the edge of the bed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"H-hi." Pulling tighter as the towel, she swallowed hard. "P-part of me kind of expected to open this door and get my heart ripped out se-seeing you and-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not interested in Darla," he quickly cut her off. "Or anybody who isn't you for that matter. I'm just not. Maybe I should be given the situation we're in with Lindsey and your family and how you and I are supposed to be seen as... but... I'm not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hearing a knock on the other door to his room, whatever she wanted to say had to wait as she hurried back into the bathroom and headed toward her bedroom, her thoughts still all over the place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time she'd gotten dressed, she heard him coming. Telling him the door wasn't locked, he stepped inside, keeping close to the wall after making sure to lock it behind him. Sighing, Angel looked down at his feet for a moment. "I get where Lindsey is coming from, he doesn't know anything is going on here so he doesn't see anything wrong with getting a bunch of old friends or flames together. He doesn't see trying to get me to hook up with Darla or whoever as something wrong, as something I truly just do not want, as something that's hurting you. He's having fun, reliving some glory days, whatever. He's having fun and wanting me to loosen up and have fun. But... but that doesn't mean I am going to or that I even want to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It'd be a lot easier."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Maybe in some ways. But that doesn't make it better. I don't want Darla, I don't want anyone else. And I'm sorry that you're upset that she's here and I am probably not handling anything correctly. I really didn't know what to do with Lindsey without raising some eyebrows and he wasn't listening to me anyway. I tried talking to you and that seemed to be leading me nowhere. Hell, I wanted to just do some big grand gesture thing to try and show you what I truly feel but the more I thought about that I thought now wasn't looking like a good time for that and it'd only make it worse between us and that's the last thing I want... so... I'm just a bit at a loss here. But I do just want you to know you don't have to worry about me and someone else or him inviting exes around or whatever else."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pressing her lips together, she toyed at the loose string she found on her comforter. "I watched you be with other girls my whole life and I don't think you could even begin to know what that felt like or how often I would just wish to be them. You always chose whoever wasn't me. I guess I just expect history to repeat itself and worry that all this newness and sneaking around will lose its appeal next to everything else out there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy could just about feel his heart breaking from across the room, and as he cautiously made his way closer to her, kneeling down to her level in front of her. "I don't think there's exactly a lot of appeal in the first place about sneaking around. I mean, there's you and that's perfect... but I don't like the guilt and worry. I like having you in my arms, in my bed... but I want more than that, too, and hopefully when the right time comes and maybe everyone will wind up warmed up to this idea of you and me... then you might not worry so much either. When I can properly show you off to everyone and take you out on proper dates, kiss you whenever I want, point at you and be like sorry that's my girl, and all that. And I'm trying to figure out how to get there without fucking everything up in the process."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Buffy started to tug him up to join her in the bed, he happily went. Wrapping one arm around her thin waist, he half carried her all the way up to the pillowcases, letting her down then curling up against her, his head pillowing on her chest while she played with his hair. "I missed you today," he told her softly. "I think I've about had it with this being apart business."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She chuckled at him a little. "Well, sadly, I can't up and take the summer off to laze around with the lot of you boys. But the rest of the week hopefully won't be as hectic."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moving slightly, his head let him know it wasn't overly happy with him today either. Groaning, "I think I drank a little too damn much today, too." He closed his eyes tighter, silently telling that slight spinning sensation to fuck off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is that so?" Buffy said in a sobering, seductive tone all of a sudden. "Where's Lindsey?" she asked next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hell if I know... though from the looks of it I think he will be busy all night... if he's not already."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh," she breathed out, and he opened his eyes only to get lost in hers for what felt like this side of forever. He didn't even know who made the first move, but their lips were firmly pressed together after their intense stare down, his body sliding more on top of hers until he was cradled back between her warm thighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>None of it was helping his light headedness but he no longer gave a single caring thought toward it, just wanting to feel her and try and express everything swirling inside of him when it came to her. "Ever since you walked in that door this was all I could think about."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For once she had woken up before Angel, light was just barely starting to creep through the blinds so she guessed it was still pretty early. She wasn't sure why she was even awake honestly, it couldn't have been more than a couple hours since they passed out but she hardly ever got time like this to just take him in so she wasn't going to complain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel was half way down her body. his head pillowed against her breast, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. He'd definitely succeeded in making her feel more secure about their relationship and how he felt about her last night. Things between them seemed to be picking up fast, so much so that she found herself wondering just how much longer it was going to be before they really solidified things. Already last night it was him turning down her advances when she tried hinting that she wanted to go further, if she'd learned anything these last couple weeks it was his inability to deny her anything for long. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She understood his reasons though, the biggest being he didn't want their first time to be shrouded in secrecy, rooms away from her mom and brother. Reaching down she lightly ran her fingers through his hair, scratching softly at the small strands by his neck. He mumbled something but she couldn't quite make out what it was, then he whispered her name in his sleep and she nearly felt her heart leap. She really really hoped that whoever Lindsey was entertaining for the night kept him occupied well into the morning. She was finally through with her doubles for the week so she didn't even have to leave the house until this afternoon, and after yesterday the last thing she wanted to do was deal with his annoying self first thing in the morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shocked didn't even begin to describe how Angel felt when he finally pulled himself from Buffy's arms the next morning and ventured downstairs to the kitchen only to find Darla sitting around the table with Lindsey and Mia. He'd assumed Mia would stay the night, what he hadn't expected was for Darla to still be hanging around all those hours later. He figured she would have gotten the hint after he disappeared to his room once Buffy got home, but apparently not. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey there sexy," she sang once he came fully into view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, "Darla."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know," she smiled, "I came looking for you last night but you weren't in your room." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallowed as his eyes briefly met Lindsey's curious stare from across the room, leave it to this bitch to go stirring up trouble. Had he known she hadn't taken off last night he would have made sure to get rid of her before climbing into bed with Buffy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though he was fairly certain his pulse rate had never been so high he shrugged, "I passed out in Buffy's room after she got out of the shower. My tolerance isn't what it used to be." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that he heard Lindsey laugh, "Well you better get to building 'cause you have two days before we head down to San Diego and you know that's when the party really gets started." He winked, "I even invited the girls here to come along and keep us company." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow he managed to keep the groan that was trying to escape him to himself, barely. Of course he invited the two of them for the weekend, at times like these he wondered if Lindsey secretly knew about him and his little sister and just set out to completely sabotage his every move. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You sure there's enough room?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey scoffed, "Well ya, I mean I figured we could team up if ya know what I mean." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh this was not going to end well, "Actually," he breathed the word out wishing that he could just freeze the moment, maybe rewind time and never come down here in the first place. "I forgot to tell you Buffy's coming too, she mentioned she had the weekend off so I invited her."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling down two coffee cups Angel silently counted back from ten waiting for his best friend to erupt. It wasn't until he heard the chair scraping against the tile that he took a deep breath and turned around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What the hell do you mean Buffy's coming?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Knowing Lindsey better than anyone, he knew better than to play into his attitude right now, them coming to blows in the middle of the kitchen is all that would cause and that wouldn't benefit anyone in this situation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Buffy's coming where?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His attention had been so focused on Lindsey he hadn't even heard her coming down the stairs, for as perfect as this morning had started off it sure was turning into one hell of a day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not San Diego," Lindsey all but growled, crossing his arms as he turned to face her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling, she took one of the mugs from Angel, "I'm sorry, dear brother, but did you forget that you were no longer the boss of me?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noticing that Lindsey was fuming, Angel placed himself between where Lindsey was standing and where Buffy was continuing to make her coffee as though nothing was out of sorts. He had to give it to her, she had perfected the art driving that man positively insane over the years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh so you'd rather leave her here alone all weekend with Riley Finn hanging around?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the mention of Riley's name she couldn't help but bite back a grin. Making Angel jealous sure was proving to have its advantages. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey seemed to pause mid sentence not sure what to say. The last thing he wanted was his kid sister tagging along on a weekend where they were all really supposed to cut loose, but on the other hand he wasn't too keen on leaving her behind with absolutely no one around while Riley was lurking about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a long breath he finally spat, "Where's she supposed to sleep, how are we all supposed to fit in the car?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean she could always take the couch," Darla offered, clearly oblivious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey's eyes shot to hers, "With Jesse there? I don't think so." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy's eyes rolled again, of all things to walk into when she came downstairs her money definitely hadn't been on this. Not on freaking Darla still lurking about or Lindsey going on about her tagging with for the weekend. One thing was for sure, there was absolutely no way she was backing down now that she knew Darla was going. In fact it was all the more reason to let her brother and everyone else in the room know that she'd managed to get her shift covered Friday so her and Angel could head down tomorrow night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, can we all stop pretending I'm not in the room." Handing Angel the now full cup of coffee, she took the empty one over to the kuereg ignoring the death glare she felt shooting from Darla. She really couldn't wait for the day when she could really show her up after all these years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey rolled his eyes and Angel gave a sheepish look her way. "Look, I am sure we can all figure out some sort of arrangement," he tried. "I mean, has anyone talked to Wes or Gunn or anyone else? Maybe we figure out just who plans on coming along and we go from there," he offered up. "Honestly, it's not like it'll be the first time we had too many damn bodies crowded in up there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey just growled something under his breath about finding somewhere else to send Buffy for the weekend and she chose to ignore him this go around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quite honestly with the ever growing number of people he was growing more weary himself though. It was never exactly going to be easy to sneak around up there with Buffy but he wasn't planned out for this much headache about it. Then you add in Darla and he knew he really needed to get Lindsey off that train as quick as he possibly could. He had enough to try and deal with right now without adding her into his every day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not to mention, he was pretty sure no matter how much he was able to assure Buffy that he had eyes for her and only her now days, Darla would always and forever remain a sore subject matter to her and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a second erupting argument came about, Buffy growled that there were already enough people in this house as well and she needed to go get some air. Rushing upstairs, she checked the time and decided while brushing her hair up into a quick ponytail that she could probably run for a quick brunch somewhere in town just to get away from the bullshit going on downstairs. Lindsey was being an ass, Darla was... well.. Darla, and she had already reached her limit of that bullshit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As sure as she was that there was no way she wouldn't be okay with not going for this little trip, not that she didn't trust Angel but this was all still new and more than anything it was the fact she didn't trust that stupid bitch further than she could throw her, but she was also unsure of how this was going to play out, too. If Darla did in fact come there was no guarantee she wouldn't windup having some knock out, drag out fight in the damn middle of the living room... or kitchen... or way there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A handful of minutes sharing the same air already this morning was too damn much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sighing, she threw on some shoes then about collided with Angel as she stepped back out of her room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey," he said gently, his hands easily reaching for her, resting atop her hips. "You okay? I'm sorry about-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy shook her head. "It's not your doing. I just... I think I do need to get out of here before I lose my mind though."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," he sighed out, pulling her just a hair closer then quickly dropped away as they both heard Lindsey approaching. "Just hold on a minute, let me get finished getting ready and I'll come with you, okay?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Where in the hell you two think you're goin'?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy nodded as she rolled her eyes toward her brother. "Well, I don't really feel like having to stand around the kitchen with the lot of you just to get some breakfast in, nor am I about to make all of you something on top of it, so I guess me and Angel are going to run into town before I have to come back here and get ready for work."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made a face at that, groaning on about how now would be a good opportunity to just have the house to themselves with the girls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel popped back out what felt like seconds later and shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I mentioned to you more than once I really didn't want to travel down any old roads with Darla. Now she's </span>
  <em>
    <span>your </span>
  </em>
  <span>problem to deal with since </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>keep having her hang around."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Which! I am doing to help </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, in case you've forgotten!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't need help, especially none from her, alright. If you want to hang out with her that's fine, Linds."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made an annoyed sound and threw his hands up "Well what in the hell am I supposed to do with her?!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel shrugged again. "I am sure you could think of something. And if you don't, trust me, I am sure she could."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy, picking up on his tone, made a face of her own. "Okay, </span>
  <em>
    <span>eww</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she grimaced, wishing she could bleach her mind of those sudden visuals. Darla and Angel, Darla and her brother, Darla and some twisted threesome with her brother and Mia. Just, no.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seriously?" Lindsey sighed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, Linds. I don't know what to tell you on this, I really don't have any interest in hooking up with Darla alright. I appreciate what you're doing though, I do. But I'm gonna go with Buffy for a bit alright? I mean, I have missed her you know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well that's not my damn fault you wouldn't come home until now!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not saying it is! I'm just saying... It's nice being home and hanging out with her like the old days. So, you enjoy Mia... enjoy Darla for all I fucking care... and try and have that shit handled by the time we're back."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy couldn't help but smile as Angel hurried past Darla once they were back downstairs, holding the door open for her out at the car, then how he pulled his free hand out to wrap with hers as he questioned where she wanted to go, holding on to her the whole way there, thankfully avoiding any further talk about any of the business going on back at the house for now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once back out of the car and heading inside, Buffy also felt a strange attack of the butterflies time and time again like when Angel would whisper to her asking her if this counted as one of their twisted version of dates, or how his fingers refused to leave her for long without trying to draw unneeded attention from the other patrons, or how the girl at the counter was trying to flirt with him but he hardly paid her any attention as he was too focused on staring off in her direction instead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you think I should be worried about Lindsey showing up to harass me again tonight?" Buffy finally uttered anything about him just as she was finishing off the donut she decided to top her little meal off with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If the girls aren't still keeping him busy I promise I'll try and figure out some way to keep him off your radar. I mean, at some point, and probably several more to come, he's bound to not let this go and keep coming by but I can do my best to keep him reeled in."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You know, when he is gone I do miss him and I'm always excited to see him when he gets here…" she trailed off, "I guess I just wish he would stop seeing me as just a kid." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hand already wrapped safely in his, he brought her fingers up to his lips. "He will beautiful, it's just going to take some time. I do think the more he's around, the more he gets used to seeing you on a regular basis again,  seeing how much you really have changed that he will eventually come around." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," she grumbled, "But does it have to take so long? I mean why can't he just wake up tomorrow and be like oh look, there's my sister and she's not twelve."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes she was just too adorable for her own good, "You're always going to be his little sister Buffy, doesn't matter if you're twelve or forty-five." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know," she groaned. "But you've basically been around since the day I was born too and you're not standing over me insisting I need a babysitter or not trusting my judgment and everything else." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel chuckled, "Well I hope Lindsey doesn't start looking at you the way I do." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ha ha."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Just saying," he smirked, "Seriously though stop stressing yourself out about it. He'll come around, besides we just got to get you through two more shifts and then we have a whole long weekend to look forward to, together." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You really think we're going to get any time remotely alone now that he's gone off and invited Darla?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Easing the car into the driveway he was relieved to see that Darla's car was in fact gone for now at least. "I'm still going to try and work on that aspect of things, I'm really hoping that after this morning and last night she'll take the hint and stay home but even if she doesn't, it doesn't matter. We're still heading down there before anyone else so we'll get first dibs on the rooms, and no matter who's there we'll still be together. Jesse, Darla, none of them matter anymore."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She really wished that she could pull off jealousy and well as him. Here she was just feeling like a total hormonal crazy person for letting Darla get to her after all these years, and yet she could totally hear the animosity in his voice every time Jesse or Riley was brought up and she couldn't help but get all kinds of butterflies. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully he'd been right and Darla was nowhere to be found once they got inside. Though unfortunately Mia had apparently taken off with her and that meant Linds was less than occupied. When he met them at the door any hope he'd had of sneaking back upstairs with Buffy while she got ready for work were dashed. This sneaking around shit was really starting to wear on him, on every front. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel listened as gave him a quick summary of the near fit Darla had thrown once he left, then he felt all the damn air get sucked out of him when Lindsey relayed how she'd gone and popped off, insinuating something was going between him and Buffy. Apparently that had been his breaking point and what had finally made him tell her to get ghost, which he was glad for but damn did it make him feel like a piece of shit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'd also had the chance to talk to Wes, so far everyone was a go for the weekend. The verdict was still out on Mia, and there was no telling what girls all the rest of the crew might drag along, but he didn't care. Somehow he had managed to convince Linds that him and Buffy driving up Thursday evening was a good idea, telling him they could get the house aired out, make a quick grocery store run, and possibly a stop off at the liquor store. He stomach churned with every word but somehow he'd managed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though a part of him felt awful about keeping Linds in the dark he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement about this weekend now that everything was more or less set in stone. Mostly he was looking forward to getting away from here and having some time alone with Buffy, even if it was for just a night. Hours away they wouldn't have to worry about who might see them out and about, overhear their conversation or anything of the sorts. He could actually take her out on a real date, show her what it felt like to just be a normal couple, if only for a little while. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having already made reservations at one of the seafood restaurants that was right on the beach, a part of him was hoping that might help to push her into the idea of coming clean to everyone. Not the dinner itself, but just showing her what they could have every day if Joyce and Lindsey knew what was going on, when it came down to it they were the only two who mattered any how. Linds was going to be pissed but he hoped that once he explained what his true feelings were, that she wasn't just some piece of ass, that what he felt for her was more than he had ever felt for anyone, that he was in this for as long as she would have him, that there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her, or to protect her… that he would understand, at least that's what he kept trying to tell himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting a little ahead of himself, and trying to pass the time until Buffy got off he had pulled one of the suitcases down from the top of the closet to start and pack for the weekend. Knowing the guys he would be surprised if they did more than get wasted on the beach and order pizza, but he still needed to pack something nice for Dinner tomorrow. Opening one of the drawers to his dresser his eyes couldn't help but settle on the small box of condoms Lindsey had tossed him the other morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was no secret, well it was definitely a secret, but it was no secret between the two of them how much he wanted her. Though that was a huge step, one that he knew there wouldn't be any coming back from for either of them. It still didn't stop his heart from fluttering when his thoughts drifted there though, and after the last few days it sure did seem like they were steam rolling in that direction no matter how much either of them tried to slow things down. Knowing how messed up it was he grabbed the small box, tossing it in the suitcase, telling himself it was always better to be prepared. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thankfully she'd had a rather easy day for the first time all week. The tips had been good, she hadn't had any special guest appearances by her brother or any other unwanted patrons. Now she just had to make it through one more shift in the morning and she would have three glorious days without having to worry about work at all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still didn't know how well she would handle all these people come this weekend around trying to spend time with Angel but she supposed it didn't matter, they would figure it out... that is what Angel kept promising anyway... and she figured it would be a lot less stressful right now to just believe in that rather than try and figure it all out in the meantime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was also a lot more fun to imagine the short time period they were getting to have just the two of them out there, she planned to make the most out of that bit of business, she couldn't wait to not have to sneak around for awhile, to not have to constantly worry someone would see or hear something or pick up on something between them and chaos ensue, to just act like a normal couple for a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She also didn't know how they were ever going to get to a point where they would ever get to act like a normal couple in their every day lives but by the day it seemed to become obvious this couldn't keep up forever. All the same, part of her couldn't help but want to keep it like this as long as possible, too afraid of how everyone would react. Sure, no one else's opinions should matter, but that wasn't true to life all the time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was going to care. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel was going to care.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buffy wasn't sure what Angel must have said to him, but Lindsey seemed to have calmed down at least a little about the fact she was coming along, only half muttering anytime he wanted to express his annoyance about the whole thing now. Over dinner, they all, along with some input from Joyce, tried to figure out the cars and sleeping situations, Lindsey mumbling how she had better not overpack so they had room for everyone's shit more than once. He seemed to stop after both she and Angel seemed to have kicked at his shins under the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, Linds," she glared, "I haven't even started packing actually so maybe I will just load up on everything but the kitchen sink just to spite you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She only got a nasty face pointed in her direction as a response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying to slightly change the direction this conversation was heading, Joyce smiled, asking what all the kids had planned to even do on the trip or if they were just winging it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey shrugged. "Little bit of both, nothing really major planned just yet, looking forward to just lounging out together in some old haunts and letting loose mostly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmhmm, well, I don't think I need to tell you all but I will, now and probably twenty more times before you leave, but you better stay safe and make good choices. I don't need a repeat of-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're gonna behave," Lindsey quickly cut her off with a big smile. "I promise."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noticing Lindsey putting his shoes back on, Joyce called over to ask him where he was going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have a date," Lindsey answered, standing up after getting his shoes back on. "Which, apparently, is going to involve a lot of groveling to have my damn girl still tag along," he said with a glare Angel's way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't know why you're getting huffy with me, you brought this on your own damn self," Angel muttered, helping Joyce out with the last of the dishes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think I can convince Darla to still come along but I guess that doesn't matter to anyone but me and Mia."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel shrugged him off. "Not going to hurt my damn feelings."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lindsey barked out his annoyance with the whole situation a few more times before heading out, Joyce looking Angel over as she heard the door close. "You're not going to capture your old romances, too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel laughed a bit, shaking his head. "No... there's a big no thank you on that one. I mean I didn't necessarily mind just seeing her or something, I am glad that she seems to be doing really well and everything, but I would have been just as fine, actually better off, had our roads just never passed again to be honest. I like to think she and I ended on good enough terms and we've both just... moved on. I don't feel any need to relieve anything there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joyce patted his shoulder. "Some thing are really meant to be left in the past. And, no offense hun, but I sure don't mind that particular girl being nothing more than a distant memory for you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel chuckled again. Buffy's disdain was never hidden from anyone but truth be told Joyce didn't really do a bang up job of hiding her feelings either over the years. Of course she never flat out said anything and had never been anything but lovely to Darla, but you still knew...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before coming to tell them she was turning in for the night, Joyce paused in the doorway taking in the sight of Angel lifting himself up off the couch enough to be able to grab them a blanket and then spread it out over the two of them as he grumbled at her to settle on something to watch before they wound up spending the whole night flipping through title names. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn't know if she was just dreaming it, but she could swear something was different between them ever since Angel finally came home. There was just something different about how he looked at her when he thought no one was paying attention to them that she couldn't help but notice and wonder about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course Buffy had been in love with Angel for nearly her whole life and Angel had never before made any effort to show that he felt the same way in a romantic sense about her but... if she were being honest there was always something about the two of them she could never quite put her finger on, too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Placing her hand over her chest for a moment, she smiled as she thought about how her late husband always used to joke - away from the kids of course - that one day the two of them would probably wind up together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>OoOoO</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Try as she might, Buffy was pretty sure she wasn't going to last to the end of the movie. They were already over halfway through but she found herself drifting then jerking back awake a few times already. Angel tried telling her it was fine to call it a night and he'd happily have her join him in his bed or vice versa but she really had tried to enjoy another one of these rare chances to just do something almost normal together by themselves but once he pointed out them falling asleep together out on the couch might not be the smartest move she finally relented and turned the film off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You might have to carry me," she mumbled, her heavy eyelids closing again as she cuddled the small decorative pillow she'd taken up with. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Challenge accepted," he chuckled and soon she was lifted up from the couch, guiding her legs around him, he made sure she was secure before taking off up the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were both breathless from laughing by the time he dropped her on top of his bed. "Mmm, I can't wait for tomorrow," she breathed, reaching out she grabbed his hand tugging on him till he gave in and crawled on top of her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He popped a kiss on the tip of her nose, "Me either beautiful." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even after everything she wasn't sure she would ever get used to hearing him call her that. She groaned, "I still have to pack." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm," he murmured, completely distracted, his lips following the familiar path down below her ear to the slope of her neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whined his name but made no move to get him off her or make him stop. She was just about to say the hell with packing and do it all tomorrow once she got off work but a soft rapping on the door had him practically flying off her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mrs. Summers," he greeted softly after pulling the door open. Buffy rolled her eyes after all these years he still refused to call her Joyce ninety nine percent of the time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Angel," she nodded, her eyes bouncing slightly between the two of them, the smallest smile gracing her face. "I figured I'd find you in here Buffy, I just wanted to remind you not to forget to pick up your prescription from the pharmacy before the two of you head out tomorrow." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her pulse quickened, she'd always been close to her mom, but they had become exceptionally close in the years since Lindsey went off to school. She could usually look at her and know what she was thinking, right now though she couldn't tell if her mom was trying to drop some subtle hint that she knew what was going on between her and Angel, or if she was really just being her normal self. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a quick breathe, she decided to go with the latter, not sure she could handle the other option right now. "Of course Mom," she practically squeaked, then clearing her throat, "I planned on picking it up on my way home from work." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joyce just nodded, "I hear the two of you will be staying together," she asked, glancing Angel's way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's the plan, with Mia coming I doubt Lindsey would have it any other way." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well you take care of her Angel, make sure that brother of hers doesn't give her too much trouble, and the two of you be careful driving, I hate it when you're all so far away." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel tried to assure her that he very much intended to keep a close eye on Buffy, that they would call as soon as they arrived, and he would do his best to keep Lindsey in check but it was all one big blur until he found himself quietly closing the door once she left. Taking a deep breath he let his forehead lean against the cool wood for a second, he really wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up, there wasn't anything in this world he wouldn't do for Buffy, but he couldn't help but to feel like he was betraying everyone else in the process. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly walking back over to the bed he took a seat on its edge, then letting out a big sigh, "We really have to tell them soon." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knew he was right, and if it was just a matter of telling her mother she would do it tonight, unfortunately though it wasn't and she just knew no matter how the spun Lindsey was going to flip. Leaning up behind him, she rested her chin on top of shoulder, "We will," she promised. "Let's just get through this weekend and then we can talk about it." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angel nodded, then letting her pull him back on the mattress he shifted so that she was pillowed against his chest, his arm wrapped safely around her. "I'm not going to leave you," he pressed his lips to her forehead, "Even if Lindsey throws his fit, even if I have to move out, as long as you want me Buffy I'm yours." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shifting a bit she softly traced the light stubble across his jaw. "How's forever," she asked softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of answering her with words he gently guided her over him, one hand tangled in her hair, his lips slotted over her soft pout. His whole body seemed to tingle as he tried to pour every single thing he was feeling into her. Pulling back from him just a hair, her eyes fluttered open only to be met by his dark orbs, somehow the air surrounding them seemed to shift, her chest felt heavy, her vision dimmed, the rest of the world seemed to fade away, all she could see was him. "I love you," she whispered so quietly she wasn't even sure he had heard her but then his mouth was on her with feverence she'd never felt and she then he was rolling them over until she was nestled safely beneath him. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>